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NEW HAMPSHIRE
IN THE
GREAT REBELLION.
CONTAINING
HISTORIES OF THE SEVERAL NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENTS,
AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MANY OF THE
PROMINENT ACTORS
THE
CIVIL WAR OF 1861-65.
BY MAJOR OTIS F. R. WAITE,
4UTHOB or "YERMONT IN THE GREAT REBELLION," "CLAREMONT WAR HISTORY," ito.
CLAREMONT, N. H.:
PUBLISHED BY TRACY, CHASE A COMPANY.
1870.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, bj
OTIS F. R. WAITE,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of New Hampshire,
Stereotyped, Printed and Bound at the Book Establishment of
THB CLARKMONT MANUFACTURING COMPAHT.
TO
THE PEOPLE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
AND HER
SURVIVING 'MILITARY HEROES
WHO FOUGHT IN THE GREAT NATIONAL CONFLICT,
1861-63,
THIS 300K IS REVERENTLY INSCRIBED
BY THE AUTHOR.
MI8S320
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAOX.
1. GOVERNOR ICHABOD GOODWIN, Frontspiece.
2. NATHANIEL S. BERRY, 92
3. " FREDERICK SMYTH 582
4. GENERAL SIMON G. GRIFFIN, 306
5. •' JOHN BEDEL 182
6. " NATT HEAD 600
7. " SAMUEL A. DUNC?AN 505
8. " JOSEPH C. ABBOTT 348
9. " AARON F. STEVENS 483
10. COLONEL ENOCH Q. FELLOWS 402
11. " EDWARD E. CROSS, 262
12. BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, , 152
13. CHARGE AT FREDERICKSBURG, 282
14. THE SHARPSHOOTER... ,..566
PREFACE.
IF New Hampshire did not do as much toward the suppression of the late
Great Rebellion as any of her sister States, it was because she is circumscribed
in territorial limits and has a smaller population and less wealth than some
of the others, and not for want of fidelity to the Union or loyalty to the Gen
eral Government. What she had was freely placed upon the altar of her
country. When the national flag on the ramparts of Sumter was ruthlessly
assailed by traitors and the President called upon the State for aid to protect
the honor, the rights and property of the government from rebels in arms
against them, she acted promptly, energetically, patriotically. Bank vaults
and private coffers were thrown wide open and their contents placed at the
service of the State authorities ; her young men left their farms, factories,
workshops, stores, counting-houses, schools and colleges and took up arms
with alacrity. They were. sent to the field as well armed and equipped for the
duties before them as troops from any other State. They fought as often, as
bravely, and suffered as much in battle, in the trenches, in camp, hospitals
and rebel prisons as those from any other State, and made as little complaint.
To make a history of all the noble and heroic deeds of the brave men of
New Hampshire in the field, and the patriotic action of the State, would require
many volumes of the size of this one. The author hoped only to give a gener
al view, rather than full details. Influenced by no partiality for any man or
organization, he has endeavored to deal justly by all who acted prominent
parts in and during the war, so far as his circumscribed limits would permit.
If much has been (knitted which might rightfully claim a place in this book,
great pains have been taken to make its history correct, so far as it goes, and
to give credit where credit fairly belongs.
The author is under obligations to many gentlemen for valuable assistance
in preparing this book. To Adjutant General Natt Head, for his invaluable
Reports covering the period of the war, from which histories of the organiza
tion and movements of many of the regiments have been condensed, and other
documents — without a free use of which the present work must have been
much less perfect than it is. To General John Bedel of the Third ; Rev. Ste
phen G. Abbott, Chaplain of the First ; Rev. John W. Adams, Chaplain of
VI PEEFACE.
the Second ; Colonel Thomas J. Whipple, of the Fourth; Colonel J. E. Larkin,
of the Fifth; Dr. Sherman Cooper, of the Sixth, and C^onel Robert Wilson,
of the Fourteenth, for aid in the preparation of the history of their several
regiments. To Hon. Charles H. Bell, of Exeter and J. E. Pecker, of Concord,
for contributions. To Colonel John B. Clarke, of the Manchester Mirror, for
the use of his files, and to many other gentlemen who have shown interest in
the work and extended needed favors.
The portraits presented in this volume are of New Hampshire men who
acted their parts in the great tragic drama, at home or in the field, nobly and
patriotically. Many others deserve a place here, but for reasons beyond the
author's control, could not be obtained.
With all its short-comings and imperfections this book is submitted to the
people of New Hampshire, with the hope that at no very distant day a more
elaborate and complete history may be written and published of the patriotic
action of the State, and of the heroic deeds of her brave troops in the War of
the Great Rebellion, than has here been attempted.
O. F. B. W.
CLABKMONT, April A. D. 1870.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Action of New Hampshire— Part II 49
Action of the State, 87
Biographical Sketches, 577
Summary of New Hampshire Troops, 574
The Rebellion— Part I, 9
Three Months' Troops, 52
BATTLES, of Antietam, 279, 320, 409
Attack on Petersburg, 491
Attack on Port Hudson, 379
Bull Run, 134
Bull Run — Second, 145
Cedar Creek, 512
Chancellorsville, 471
Chargeon Fort Wagner, 197, 357
Cold Harbor, 159
Drury's Bluff, 203
Fair Oaks 141
Fort Harrison, 440
Fredericksburg, 148, 282, 322, 410, 454
Gettysburg, 152, 287
South Mountain, 408
Spottsylvania 415
Williamsburg, 139
Winchester, 511
Seven Days' Fight, 142
Siege of Knoxville, 456
Wilson's Raid, 551
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES of
Abbott, General Joseph C 348
Bailey, Colonel Edward L 123
Bedel, General John 182
Bell, Colonel Louis 225
Berry, Governor Nathaniel S 579
Bixby, Colonel Phin P 311
Colby, General Anthony 600
Colby, General Daniel E 601
Converse, Colonel Nelson 306
Collins, Lieut. Colonel Moses N 452
Cross, Colonel Edward E 262
Dame, Miss Harriet P 124
Donohoe, General Michael T 427
Duncan, General Samuel A 505
Everett, Major George Washington...407
Fearing, Colonel Hawkes, Jr 372-
Fellows, Colonel Enoch Q 402
Foster, General John G 607
Gardiner, Colonel Alexander 503
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. PAGE
Gilmore, Governor Joseph A 581
Goodwin, Governor Ichabxjd 677
Griffin, General Simon G 306
Hapgood, Colonel Charles E 268
Harriman, General Walter ...449
Head, General Natt 601
Henderson, Lieut. Col. Thos. Albert..352
Jackson, Colonel John II 181
Kingman, Colonel John W 519
Lull, Lieut. Col. Oliver Woodbury....373
Marston. General Oilman 116
Patterson, General J. N 121
Pearson, Lieut. Colonel Henry H 312
Pike, Colonel James 530
Potter, General Joseph H 469
Putnam, Colonel Haldimand S 345
Smith, Major Daniel 354
Smyth, Governor*Frederick 582
Stevens, General Aaron Fletcher 483
Sturtevant, Major Edward E 270
Tappan, Colonel Mason W 59
Titus, Colonel Herbert B 406
Whipple, Colonel Thomas J 223
Wilson, Colonel Robert 502
REGIMENTS— First 57
Second 103
Third, .169
Fourth, 215
Fifth 252
Sixth, 297
Seventh, ....338
Eighth, 365
" Veteran Battalion, 389
Ninth, 396
Tenth, 421
Eleventh, 444
Twelfth »- 462
Thirteenth, 478
Fourteenth, 496
Fifteenth, 516
Sixteenth, 528
Seventeenth, 535
Eighteenth, 538
First Cavalry 544
First Light Battery, 555
First Heavy Artillery, .560
Sharpshooters, 567
THE REBELLION.
FA.RT I.
POSITION OF AFFAIRS PREVIOUS TO AND AT THE TIME OF THE
BREAKING OUT OF THE WAR.
FROM the day of the adoption of the Constitution
there has been an antagonism "between the North
ern and the Southern portions of the United States. —
That Constitution contains not one word hostile to lib
erty and humanity. In it, however, is a single phrase
which has been interpreted differently by the different
sections of the country — "held to labor." At the
North, these simple, harmless words mean a hired man,
an apprentice. At the South, they mean a slave, feudal
bondage, the right of property in man, and all the
attendant oppressions and cruelties. From these differ
ent constructions of the spirit of the organic law of the
country, and the widely different modes of life and of
thought, the antagonism between the North and the
South has grown with the growth and strengthened
with the strength of the nation. Mr. Iverson, of
Georgia, in speaking on this subject in the United
States Senate, on the 5th of December, 1860, said, "Sir.
disguise the fact as you will, there is an enmity between
the Northern and the Southern people, which is deep
10 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and enduring, and you can never eradicate it — never.
.... We are enemies as much as if we were hostile
States. We have not lived in peace. We are not now
living in peace. It is not expected that we shall ever
live in peace."
Mr. Mason, of Virginia, in the same debate, said,
" This is a war of sentiment and opinion, by one form
of society against another form of society."
Garrett Davis, senator from Kentucky, said, "The
Cotton States, by their slave labor, have become wealthy,
and many of their planters have princely revenues —
from fifty to one hundred thousand dollars a year.
This wealth has begot pride, and insolence, and ambi
tion; and those points of the Southern character have
been displayed most insultingly in the halls of Congress.
As a class, the wealthy cotton growers are insolent, they
are proud, they are domineering, they are ambitious.
They have monopolized the government in its honors
for forty or fifty years, with few interruptions. When
they saw the scepter about to depart from them, in the
election of Abraham Lincoln, sooner than give up office,
and the spoils of office, in their mad and wicked ambi
tion, they determined to disrupt the old Confederation,
and erect a new one, wherein they would have undis
puted power. Nine out of ten of the Northern people
were sound upon the subject. They were opposed to
the extension of slavery ; and I do not condemn them
for that : but they were willing to accord to the slave
holders all their constitutional rights."
The slaveholders had become arrogant in their de
mands upon Congress, claiming that the Constitution
favored freedom, free labor, and free schools, and that
it should be so far changed as to maintain the exclusive
claims of an aristocratic class, and to strengthen their
hold upon their slaves. They insisted that the domestic
slave trade should be nurtured, and the foreign slave
THE GREAT REBELLION. 11
trade opened. They demanded the right to extend
slavery over all the Territories of the United States;
the right to hold their slaves in all the States of the
Union temporarily; that speaking or writing against
slavery in any State of the Union should be a penal
offense; that the North should catch their fugitive
slaves, and send them back to bondage; and that the
administration of the General Government should be
placed in the hands of those only whom the South could
trust, as the pledged enemies of republican equality,
and the friends of slavery. These were the demands of
the South, which, they said, must be acceded to, or they
would dash the Union to pieces and from the fragments
construct a Confederacy, with slavery for its corner
stone.
In the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presi
dency, in 1860, the people of the United States said,
most emphatically, " We will not accede to these arro
gant and wicked demands. We will not thus change
the Constitution of our fathers. We will abide by it as
it is." In an appeal to the ballot-box the slaveholders
were fairly and overwhelmingly defeated, and they
determined to secede and break up the Union.
As long ago as 1856, Hon. Preston Brooks, of South
Carolina, said, in a speech in Charleston, at an ovation
given in his honor, for his brutal assault upon Senator
Sumner, of Massachusetts, for words spoken in debate
in his place in the Senate, " I tell you, fellow-citizens,
from the bottom of my heart, that the only mode which
I think available for meeting it [the issue], is just to
tear the Constitution of the United States, trample it
under foot, and form a Southern Confederacy, every
State of which shall be a Slaveholding State."
Mr. Hunter, of Virginia, detailed in the Senate of the
United States the changes in the Constitution with
12 THE GREAT REBELLION.
which alone the Slaveholders would be satisfied. His
demands were : —
1. Congress shall have no power to abolish slavery in
the States, or the District of Columbia, or the dock
yards, forts, and arsenals of the United States.
2. Congress shall not abolish, tax, or obstruct the
slave trade between the States.
3. It shall be the duty of each of the States to sup
press combination, within its jurisdiction, for the arm'ed
invasion of any other State.
4. States shall be admitted with or without slavery,
according to the election of the people.
5. It shall be the duty of the States to restore fugi
tive slaves, or pay the value of the same.
6. Fugitives from justice shall be deemed those who
have offended the laws of the State within its jurisdic
tion, and shall have escaped therefrom.
7. Congress shall recognize and protect as property,
what is held to be such by the laws of any State, in the
Territories, dockyards, arsenals, forts, and wherever the
United States have exclusive jurisdiction.
Mr. Hunter also demanded that there should always be
two Presidents chosen, one by the Slavholding States,
and the other by the North, and that no act should be
valid unless approved by both Presidents. Thus giving
to not more than three hundred thousand slaveholders
as much power in the government as to the other thirty
millions of population. He also demanded that the
United States Supreme Court should consist of ten
members, five to be chosen by the little handful of
slaveholders, and the other five by the millions of
freemen.
To accomplish their purpose, every man at the South
was to be compelled, by the reign of terror, to support
the cause of the slaveholders. Vigilance committees
were organized, the mails were searched, and a system
THE ORE AT REBELLION. 13
of espionage introduced, such as no despotism on earth
ever before equalled. A gentleman from Hinds County,
Mississippi, wrote to the editor of the New York
Tribune, under date of February 7, 1861 : —
"I have lived in this State twenty-five years. Yet if
I should say, not openly upon the housetop, but at my
own table, among my family and friends congregated
there, that I do not consider that the South has any
real grievance to complain of, and totally oppose the
secession of this or any other State from the Union, my
property, my life even, would not be safe an hour. It is
very certain that those who are in favor of secession
have no more than a bare majority in any of the South
ern States. We, the Union men of the South, call on
you of the North not to desert us."
The slaveholders demanded further, in addition to the
right of the general extension of slavery, that the laws
of the Free States should be so changed as to enable
them to hold their enslaved servants at the North tem
porarily, while, at the same time, they refused to allow
a Northern gentleman even to enter their States with a
free hired colored servant.
The candidates for President in 1860 were Abraham
Lincoln, of Illinois, nominated by the Republican party,
who was openly pledged to resist the extension of
slavery, while he avowed that Congress had no consti
tutional right to interfere with slavery in those States
where it existed, but that it was both the right and the
duty of Congress to prohibit slavery in all the United
States Territories. John C. Breckinridge of Ken
tucky, was the candidate of the slaveholders, pledged
to administer the government in the most effectual
way to nurture and to give increasing political power
to the institution of slavery. Stephen A. Douglas, of
Illinois, and John Bell, of Tennessee, were supported
by those who wished to effect some compromise,
14 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and who were ready, for the sake of avoiding civil
war, to make very great concessions to the South.
The election took place on the 6th of November, and
the result of the popular vote was, for electors : Lincoln,
1,857,610; Douglas, 1,365,976; Breckinridge, 847,953;
Bell, 591,613; giving Lincoln the electoral votes of
seventeen out of the thirty-three States; eleven for
Breckinridge ; three for Bell, and one — Missouri — with
three-sevenths of New Jersey, for Douglas.
Mr. Lincoln received the electoral votes of California,
4; Connecticut, 6; Illinois, 11; Indiana, 13; Iowa, 4;
Maine, 8; Massachusetts, 13; Michigan, 6; Minnesota,
4; New Hampshire, 5; New Jersey, 4; New York, 35;
Ohio, 23; Oregon, 3; Pennsylvania, 27; Rhode Island,
4; Vermont, 5; Wisconsin, 5 — 180. John C. Breckin
ridge received the votes of Alabama, 9; Arkansas, 4;
Delaware, 3; Florida, 3; Georgia 10; Louisiana, 6;
Maryland, 8; Mississippi, 7; North Carolina, 10; South
Carolina, 8 ; Texas, 4 — 72. Stephen A. Douglas, receiv
ed the votes of Missouri, 9, and 3 of the 7 votes of New
Jersey — 12. John Bell received the votes of Kentucky,
12; Tennessee, 12; Virginia, 15—39. Hannibal Hamlin,
of Maine, was elected Vice-President, receiving 180
electoral votes, while Joseph Lane received 72, Edward
Everett 39, and Herschel V. Johnson 12. The electors
chosen in New Hampshire were, John Sullivan, of
Exeter; Ebenezer Stevens, of Meredith,; David Gillis,
of Nashua; Nathaniel Tolles, of Claremont; and Daniel
Blaisdell, of Hanover.
On the fifteenth of February, in the presence of the
two Houses of Congress, the Electoral votes were
officially counted and declared by John C. Breckinridge,
the slaveholders' candidate for President, who was at
that time Vice-President and the President of the
Senate. Amid deadly silence, the result was announced
as follows : One hundred and eighty votes were cast for
THE GREAT REBELLION. 15
Abraham Lincoln; seventy-two for John C. Breckin-
ridge; thirty-nine for John Bell; twelve for Stephen A.
Douglas. This gave to Abraham Lincoln a majority of
fifty-seven votes over all the other candidates. Where
upon the Yice-President rising, said, "Abraham Lin
coln, of Illinois, having received a majority of the
whole number of electoral votes, is duly elected Presi
dent of the United States for the four years commenc
ing on the 4th of March, 1861. And Hannibal Hamlin,
of Maine, having received a majority of the whole num
ber of electoral votes, is duly elected Yice-President for
the same term."
This was a day of great excitement in Washington.
It was a slaveholding city, in the midst of slaveholding
States, and fire-eaters from the South were there in great
numbers, and had boldly threatened that the announce
ment of the vote for President should not be made, and
that the government should be broken up in a row.
James Buchanan was then President; had been intim
idated by the slaveholders, and, if he was not in sympa
thy with them, had not the courage to prepare to meet
and thwart their threats of violence. In that crisis the
nation could place but little reliance upon his efficiency,
and reposed but little confidence in his patriotism.
General Winfield Scott had prepared to meet any emer
gency that might arise, by drawing to the city a military
force and so planting their guns as to sweep the streets at
the first outbreak, thus overawing the conspirators; and
the day passed quietly, and everything was done with
decency and in order.
On the 20th of December, 1860, a convention of a
few score of slaveholders in South Carolina, led off" in
the rebellion, and passed the following resolution : —
""We, the people of the State of South Carolina, in
convention assembled, do declare and ordain, and it is
16 THE GREAT REBELLION.
hereby declared and ordained, that the ordinance adopt
ed by us in convention, on the 23d of May, in the year
of our Lord 1788, whereby the Constitution of the
United States of America was ratified, and also all acts,
and parts of acts, of the General Assembly of this State
ratifying the amendments of said Constitution, are
hereby repealed, and that the Union now subsisting
between South Carolina and other States, under the
name of the United States of America, is hereby
dissolved."
In the course of the month of January, 1861, the
States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missis
sippi, and North Carolina followed, and adopted similar
acts of secession to that adopted by South Carolina;
and, on the 4th of February, forty-two delegates, repre
senting these seven seceded States, met at Montgomery,
Alabama, and proceeded to organize a Southern Confed
eracy of these, with such others as might subsequently
be added, and elected Jefferson Davis, President, and
Alexander H. Stephens, Vice-President. On the 18th
of the same month, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated
President at Montgomery.
President Buchanan's cabinet was composed of slave
holders, and others who favored Southern principles.
In November, as soon as the result of the presidential
election was known, these men set at work to embarrass
and cripple the government, that its capital, forts, arse
nals, public property, and munitions of war might
easily fall into the hands of the wicked conspirators
against the Union. Lewis Cass, of Michigan, was Sec
retary of State, and tried to persuade the President to
take steps to avert the impending calamity, and protect
the public property; failing in which, he resigned in
December, and was succeeded by Jeremiah S. Black, of
Pennsylvania. Ilowell Cobb, a slaveholder from Geor
gia, was Secretary of the Treasury. When he entered
THE ORE AT REBELLION. 17
upon office, the national treasury was in a healthy and
prosperous condition. He resigned, and took an office
under the conspirators. More than six millions of dol
lars had been stolen, and, when his successor went
into office, the treasury was on the verge of bankruptcy.
Jacob Thompson, a Mississippi slaveholder, was Secre
tary of the Interior, and did all in his power to aid the
conspirators. John B. Floyd, a Virginia slaveholder,
was Secretary of War.
There was a plan on foot — which, thank God, was
discovered in season to thwart it — to assassinate the
President elect when on his way to Washington to take
his seat. In the panic, which it was supposed would
ensue, troops from the adjacent Slave States of Mary
land and Virginia were to seize upon Washington and
all its treasures, and make it the capital of the new
Confederacy. To this end the United States army —
but a few thousands in number — was so disposed that
the soldiers could not rally to the support of the
government, while the arsenals at the North were
despoiled, the arms sent to the Slave States, and the
fortifications in those States seized and garrisoned by
the conspirators. Having accomplished all this, Floyd
sent in his resignation, joined the rebels, and was
appointed a general in their army. Most of the clerks
and employees in the different departments of the
government at Washington were in sympathy with the
conspirators, and many were actively aiding them in
their damnable plots to overthrow the best government
that the sun ever shone upon.
Isaac Toucey, of Connecticut, was Secretary of the
Navy. According to the report of his successor to
Congress, July 4, 1861, our fleet in February, 1861, con
sisted ' of ninety vessels of all classes, carrying two
thousand four hundred and fifteen guns ; and was
manned by a complement of about seven thousand six
18 THE GREAT REBELLION.
hundred men, exclusive of officers and marines. Not
withstanding the necessity for the presence of this fleet
in our own waters to aid the government*in this trying
hour, it was dispersed, for no good excuse; the Brook
lyn, twenty-five guns, and the store-ship Relief, two guns,
only remaining, to defend the entire Atlantic coast.
On the 21st of February, 1861, a select committee of
five, appointed by the House of Representatives, in a
report upon the conduct of the Secretary of the Navy,
after stating what disposition had been made of our
naval force, said : —
"The committee cannot fail to call attention to this
extraordinary disposition of the entire naval force of
the country, and especially in connection with the pres
ent no less extraordinary and critical juncture of our
political affairs. They cannot call to mind any period
in the past history of the country, of such profound
peace and internal repose, as would justify so entire an
abandonment of the coast of the country to the chance
of fortune. Certainly since the nation possessed a navy,
it has never before sent its entire available force into
distant seas, and exposed the immense interests at home,
of which it is the especial guardian, to the dangers from
which, even in times of the utmost quiet, prudence and
forecast do not always shelter them.
" To the committee this disposition of the naval force,
at this most critical period, seems extraordinary. The
permitting of vessels to depart for distant seas after
these unhappy difficulties had broken out at home, the
omission to put in repair and commission, ready for
orders, a single one of the twenty-eight ships dismantled
and unfit for service, in our own ports, and that, too,
while $646,639.79 of the appropriation for repairs in the
navy, the present year, remained unexpended, were, in
the opinion of the committee, grave errors, without
justification or excuse."
THE GREAT REBELLION. 19
All these, and many other like wicked acts, were
being committed under the eye and with the knowledge
of President Buchanan, and by officers whom he had
the power to displace at any moment, and yet he never
raised his hand to prevent or check them.
There were a few leading and influential men in the
slave States, slaveholders themselves, who wiser than
the rest, were opposed to secession and the disruption
of the old Union, but were soon forced to acquiesce in
the schemes and movements of the conspirators. They
were whipped into the ranks of the rebellion. It was
not sufficient for them to remain silent or neutral, but
they must be active for treason, or their property and
lives were at the mercy of a set of fiends who showed
no mercy.
Alexander H. Stephens, for many years a member of
the United States House of Representatives from Geor
gia, and one of the most influential men in that State,
opposed secession. In a speech to an immense gather
ing of his constituents at Milledgeville, on the 14th of
November, 1860, he said: —
"The first question that presents itself is, Shall the
people of the South secede from the Union in conse
quence of the election of Mr. Lincoln to the Presidency
of the United States? My countrymen, I tell you
frankly, candidly, and earnestly, that I do not think
that they ought. In my judgment, the election of no
man, constitutionally chosen to that high office, is
sufficient cause for any State to separate from the Union.
It ought to stand by and aid still in maintaining the
Constitution of the country. To make a point of resist
ance to the Government — to withdraw from it, because a
man has been constitutionally elected — puts us in the
wrong. We are pledged to maintain the Constitution.
Many of us have sworn to support it. Can we, there
fore, for the mere election of a man to the Presidency —
20 THE GH&AT REBELLION.
and that, too, in accordance with the prescribed forms
of the Constitution — make a point of resistance to the
Government, and without ^coming the breakers of
that sacred instrument ourselves, withdraw ourselves
from it? Would we not be in the wrong? Whatever
fate is to befall this country, let it never be laid to the
charge of the people of the South, and especially of the
people of Georgia, that we were untrue to our National
engagements. Let the fault and the wrong rest upon
others. If all our hopes are to be blasted, if the Repub
lic is to go down, let us be found to the last moment
standing on the deck, with the Constitution of the
United States waving over our heads. Let the fanatics
of the North break the Constitution, if such is their
fell purpose. Let the responsibility be upon them. I
shall speak presently more of their acts; but let not the
South, let us not be the ones to commit the aggression.
We went into the election with this people ; the result
was different from what we wished; but the election
has been constitutionally held. Were we to make a
point of resistance to the Government, and go out of
the Union on that account, the record would be made
up hereafter against us.
"But, it is said, Mr. Lincoln's policy and principles
are against the Constitution, and that, if he carries
them out, it will be destructive of our rights. Let us
not anticipate a threatened evil. If he violates the
Constitution, then will come our time to act. Do not
let us break it, because, forsooth, he may. If he does,
that is the time for us to strike. I think it would be
injudicious and unwise to do this sooner. I do not
anticipate that Mr. Lincoln will do anything to jeopard
ize our safety or security, whatever may be his spirit to
do it; for he is bound by the constitutional checks
which are thrown around him, which, at this time, ren
der him powerless to do any great mischief. This shows
THE GREAT REBELLION. 21
the wisdom of our system. The President of the
United States is no Emperor, no Dictator — he is clothed
with no absolute power. He can do nothing unless he
is backed by power in Congress. The House of Eepre-
sentatives is largely in the majority against him. In
the Senate, he will also be powerless. There will be a
majority of four against him: This, after the loss of
Bigler, Fitch, and others, by the unfortunate dissensions
of the Democratic party in their States. Mr. Lincoln
cannot appoint an officer without the consent of the
Senate — he cannot form a Cabinet without the same
consent. He will be in the condition of George III.
(the embodiment of Toryism), who had to ask the Whigg
to appoint his Ministers, and was compelled to receive a
Cabinet utterly opposed to his views; and so Mr. Lin
coln will be compelled to ask of the Senate to choose
for him a Cabinet, if the Democracy of that body
choose to put him on such terms. He will be compelled
to do this, or let the Government stop, if the National
Democratic men — for that is their name at the 2s"orth —
the conservative men in the Senate — should so determine.
Then, how can Mr. Lincoln obtain a Cabinet which
would aid him, or allow him, to violate the Constitution ?
"Why, then, I say, should we disrupt the bonds of
this Union, when his hands are tied — when he can do
nothing against us?
"I believe in the power of the people to govern them
selves when wisdom prevails, and passion is silent.
Look at what has already been done by them for their
advancement in all that ennobles man. There is nothing
like it in the history of the world. Look abroad, from
one extent of the country to the other; contemplate our
greatness : we are now among the first nations of the
earth. Shall it, then, be said that our institutions,
founded upon principles of self-government, are a
failure ?
22 THE GREAT REBELLION.
" Thus far it is a noble example, worthy of imitation.
The gentleman (Mr. Cobb), the other night, said it had
proven a failure. A failure in what? In growth?
Look at our expanse in National power? Look at our
population and increase in all that makes a people
great ! A failure ? Why, we are the admiration of the
civilized world, and present the brightest hopes of
mankind.
" Some of our public men have failed in their aspira
tions ; that is true ; and from that comes a great part of
our troubles.
"No! there is no failure of this Government yet.
We have made great advancement under the Constitu
tion ; and I cannot but hope that we shall advance still
higher. Let us be true to our cause."
Early in January, 1861, Georgia passed an act of
secession, and joined the other States that had with
drawn from the Union; and in February, Mr. Stephens
accepted the office of Vice-President of the new Con
federacy, and traversed the Slave States, and exerted all
his powers to rouse the people to war against the gov
ernment of the United States.
The first plan of the rebels was to break up the gov
ernment of the United States, take possession of its
capital, navy yards, armories, arsenals, and fortifica
tions, preparatory for the outbreak. When all this was
done it was supposed there would be but a feeble resist
ance on the part of the people of the North. The
government was to be reorganized, with slavery estab
lished in all the States and Territories, and Jefferson
Davis as its head. All arrangements for carrying out
this scheme had been deliberately and carefully made,
and were apparently near consummation, before the
people of the North could be made to comprehend the
possibility of such a movement by any considerable
portion of the people of the Slave States.
THE GREAT REBELLION. 23
One part of this most wicked and damnable plot was
to assassinate President Lincoln as he passed through
Baltimore, on his way to Washington, to be inaugurat
ed. It was discovered in season, however, to prevent
such a great calamity to the country. He left his home
at Springfield, 111., on the llth of February, accompa
nied by his family and a few friends. At all the cities
and large towns on his route the people assembled and
gave him most enthusiastic receptions, and he replied to
addresses of welcome at several different places. At
Columbus, Ohio, he said :
"I have not maintained silence from any want of real
anxiety. It is a good thing that there is no more than
anxiety; for there is nothing going wrong. It is a con
soling circumstance that, when we look out, there is
nothing that really hurts anybody. "We entertain differ
ent views upon political questions : but nobody is suffer
ing anything. This is a most consoling circumstance;
and from it we may conclude that all we want is time,
patience, and a reliance on that God wrho has never for
saken this people."
At Pittsburgh, Pa., on the 15th, he said:
" Notwithstanding the troubles across the river [the
speaker pointing southwardly across the Monongahela,
and smiling], there is no crisis but an artificial one.
What is there now to warrant the condition of affairs
presented by our friends over the river? Take even
their own views of the questions involved, and there is
nothing to justify the course they are pursuing. I
repeat, then, there is no crisis, except such a one as may
be gotten up at any time by turbulent men, aided by
designing politicians. My advice to them, under the
circumstances, is to keep cool. If the great American,
people only keep their temper both sides of the line,
the trouble will come to an end, and the question which
now distracts the country be settled, just as surely as
24 THE GREAT REBELLION.
all other difficulties, of a like character, which have orig
inated in this Government, have been adjusted. Let
the people on both sides keep their self-possession, and,
just as other clouds have cleared away in due time, so
will this great nation continue to prosper as heretofore."
At Philadelphia he assisted at the raising of the
United States flag over Independence Hall, and in reply
to an address of welcome, said :
" I have often pondered over the dangers incurred by
the men who assembled here, and framed and adopted
that Declaration of Independence. I have pondered
over the toils that were endured by the officers and
soldiers of the army who achieved that Independence.
I have often inquired of myself, what great principle or
idea it was that kept this confederacy so long together.
It was not the mere matter of the separation of the
Colonies from the mother-land ; but that sentiment in
the Declaration of Independence which gave Liberty,
not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to
the world, for all future time. It was that which gave
promise that, in due time, the weight should be lifted
from the shoulders of all men. This is a sentiment
embodied in the Declaration of Independence. Now,
my friends, can this country be saved on that basis ?
If it can, I will consider myself one of the happiest
men in the world, if I can help to save it. If it cannot
be saved on that basis, it will be truly awful. But, if
this country cannot be saved without giving up that
principle, I was about to say that I would rather be
assassinated on this spot than surrender it. Now, in
my view of the present aspect of affairs, there need be
no bloodshed or war. There is no necessity for it. I
am not in favor of such a course; and I may say, in
advance, that there will be no bloodshed, unless it be
forced upon the Government, and then it will be com
pelled to act in self-defense."
THE GREAT REBELLION. 25
The loyal people of Baltimore had made preparations
to testify their respect for the President elect, by a large
gathering, procession, and other ceremonies, while the
conspirators had arranged to get up a riot at the depot,
on his arrival, during which the President, unarmed
and unprotected, was to be stabbed or shot. This plan
was discovered by the police, who informed General
Scott and senator Seward, and Frederick W. Seward,
son of the senator, was immediately dispatched to meet
the President, and inform him of the danger to his life.
He had a public reception at Harrisburgh, after which,
with a few of his friends, he retired to his private
apartments at the hotel about six o'clock in the evening,
and as he was known to be weary, was not interrupted.
As soon as it was dark, he, in company with Colonel
Lamon, unobserved, entered a hack and drove to the
Pennsylvania railroad, where a special train was waiting
for him. The telegraph wires were in the mean time
cut, so that the knowledge of his departure, if discov
ered or suspected, could not be .sent abroad. The train
reached Philadelphia at half-past ten o'clock that night.
They drove immediately across the city to the Balti
more and Washington depot. The regular night train
was just leaving, at a quarter past eleven. They took
berths in a sleeping-car, and, without any change, pass
ed directly through Baltimore, and arrived at "Washing
ton safely and unexpectedly, at half-past six o'clock
next morning, being the 23d of February. Thus was
an important part of the scheme of the rebels frustrated,
and the proposed attempt to seize the capital preven
ted by the energy and watchfulness of the friends of
the incoming administration.
The conspirators had counted on a divided !N"orth,
believing there* were many friends of their cherished
institution here who would join them in their rebellion
26 THE GREAT REBELLION.
against the government. Here, again, they made a
great mistake ; for when the people of Jhe Free States
were aware of the wicked plot to break up the Union,
and the extent of it, they arose as one man to meet the
emergency; and the Northern men, with Southern
sympathies, found themselves in a most disgraceful
and hopeless minority. And the plan to invade the
Northern States had to be abandoned, while General
Scott, contrary to the wish of President Buchanan, who
seemed to be completely under control of the slave
power, had gathered nearly three hundred troops in and
about the capital for its protection.
On the retirement of the traitor Floyd from the War
Department, Hon. Joseph Holt, of Kentucky, was
appointed to fill the place. He cooperated writh Gen
eral Scott in the adoption of vigorous measures for the
protection of Washington from the menaced capture by
the rebels, which greatly alarmed them. On the 18th
of February, Mr. Holt addressed a letter to President
Buchanan, in reply to a resolution of the House of
Representatives, inquiring into the state of the defenses
of Washington, from which the following extracts are
made:
" The scope of the question submitted by the House
will be sufficiently met by dealing with the facts as they
exist, irrespective of the cause from which they have
proceeded. That revolution has been distinguished by
a boldness and completeness of success rarely equalled
in the history of civil commotions. Its overthrow of
the Federal authority has not only been sudden and
widespread, but has been marked by excesses which
have alarmed all, and been sources of profound humil
iation to a large portion of the American people. Its
history is a history of surprises and treacheries, and
ruthless spoliations. The forts of the* United States
have been captured and garrisoned, and hostile flags
THE GREAT REBELLION. 27
unfurled upon their ramparts. Its arsenals have been
seized, and the vast amount of public arms they con
tained appropriated to the use of the captors; while
more than half a million of dollars, found in the mint
at New Orleans, have been unscrupulously applied to
replenish the coffers of Louisiana. Officers in command
of revenue cutters of the United States have been pre
vailed on to violate their trusts, and surrender the prop
erty in their charge; and instead of being branded for
their crimes, they and the vessels they betrayed have
been cordially received into the service of the seceded
States."
After reiterating the acts of the conspirators, the
information that had reached his department upon the
subject, the necessity for immediate and decided action,
and telling the President what steps he had taken to
save the government from humiliation and disgrace,
Secretary Holt closes his letter as follows :
"Already this display of life and loyalty on the part
of your administration has produced the happiest
effects. Public confidence has been restored, and the
feverish apprehension, which it was so mortifying to con
template, has been banished. Whatever may have been
the machinations of deluded, lawless men, the execu
tion of their purposes has been suspended, if not alto
gether abandoned, in view of preparations, which
announce more impressively than words, that this
administration is alike able and resolved to transfer in
peace to the President elect the authority that, under
the Constitution, belongs to him. To those, if such
there be, who desire the destruction of the republic, the
presence of these troops is necessarily offensive. But
those who sincerely love our institutions, cannot fail to
rejoice that, by this timely precaution, they have prob
ably escaped the deep dishonor which they must have
Buffered had the capital, like the forts and arsenals of
28 THE GREAT REBELLION.
the South, fallen into the hands of revolutionists, who
have found this great government weal^ only because,
in the exhaustless beneficence of its spirit, it has refused
to strike, even in its own defense, lest it should wound
the aggressors."
One Breshwood, a Virginian, who was in command
of the revenue cutter McLelland, infamously surrender
ed his vessel to the rebels at New Orleans ; and Captain
Morrison surrendered the revenue cutter Cass to the
rebels at Mobile. The rebels seized Fort Morgan at
Mobile, and called upon Lieutenant John N. Maffit, who
was in command of the Crusader, which was exposed
to the fire of the fort, to surrender his vessel to the
" Alabama Navy." The noble lieutenant replied, " I may
be overpowered; but in that event, what will be left of
the Crusader will not be worth taking." He saved his
vessel, which afterwards rendered signal service in the
Gulf.
On the 3d of February, 1861, Lieutenant J. H. Hamil
ton, of South Carolina, ordered Captain Porter to sur
render his ship to the rebels. The following is Captain
Porter's noble reply: "You, sir, have called upon your
brother officers, not only to become traitors to their
country, but to betray their sacred trust, and deliver up
the ships under their command. This infamous appeal
would, in ordinary times, be treated with the contempt
it deserves. But I feel it a duty I owe myself, and
brother officers with whom I am associated, to reply and
state, that all under my command are true and loyal to
the ' Stars and Stripes,' and to the Constitution. My
duty is plain before me. The constitutional govern
ment of the United States has entrusted me with the
command of this beautiful ship, and before I will per
mit any other flag than the i Stars and Stripes' to fly at
her peak, I will fire a pistol into her magazine, and blow
her up. This is my answer to your infamous letter."
THE GREAT REBELLION. 29
For a few days before the inauguration, Washington
was full of rumors of plots to prevent by violence its
consummation. General Scott and Secretary Holt had
been bending all their energies to gather a military force
sufficient to keep in check, or suppress, if it should show
itself, any lawless demonstration, and to insure peace
and quiet. An imposing military escort was provided
to attend the President to the Capitol, and after the cer
emonies, to the White House.
The procession, consisting of civilians, about one
thousand regulars, and a considerable force of uniform
ed militia, escorted the retiring and incoming Presi
dents, who were in the same carriage, to the Capitol.
On the spacious eastern portico of the Capitol a plat
form had been erected, the space in front of which was
occupied by the military. The platform was occupied
by the Supreme Court, members of the Senate and
House of Representatives, foreign ministers, and an
immense crowd of privileged persons. The President
elect was introduced by Colonel Edward D. Baker, sen
ator from Oregon, and was received with cheers from
but a small share of the thirty thousand persons assem
bled. Mr. Lincoln, in a clear, firm and penetrating
voice, delivered his inaugural address, which closed
with the following paragraphs :
" My countrymen, one and all, think calmly and well
upon this whole subject. Nothing valuable can be lost
by taking time.
"If there be an object to hurry any of you, in hot
haste, to a step which you would never take deliberate
ly, that object will be frustrated by taking time ; but no
good object can be frustrated by it.
" Such of you as are now dissatisfied still have the
old Constitution unimpaired, and, on the sensitive point,
the laws of your own framing under it; while the new
administration will have no immediate power, if it
would, to change either.
30 THE GREAT REBELLION.
" If it were admitted that you who are dissatisfied hold
the right side in the dispute, there is still no single reason
for precipitate action. Intelligence, patriotism, Chris
tianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet
forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust,
in the best way, all our present difficulties.
uln your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen,
and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war.
The government will not assail you.
"You can have no conflict without being yourselves
the aggressors. You can have no oath registered in
heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have
the most solemn one to ' preserve, protect, and defend
it.'
"I am loath to close. We are not enemies but
friends. "We must not be enemies. Though passion
may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affec
tion.
"The mystic chords of memory, stretching from-
every battle-field and patriot grave to every living heart
and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell
the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely
they will be, by the better angels of our nature."
The oath of office was administered by Chief Justice
Taney ; the procession was re-formed, and escorted
President Lincoln to the White House. Although
there were many low threats, open and implied, the
arrangements were so admirably made and carried out
by the loyal men at the capital, that everything con
nected with the ceremonies of inauguration passed off
without interruption or disturbance.
The next day after his inauguration, President Lin
coln submitted to the Senate the names of the gentle
men whom he had appointed as his Cabinet officers, as
follows: William H. Seward, of New York, Secretary
of State; Salmon P. Chase, of Ohio, Secretary of the
THE GREAT REBELLION. 31
Treasury; Simon Cameron, of Pennsylvania, Secretary
of War; Gideon Welles, of Connecticut, Secretary of
the Navy ; Caleb B. Smith, of Indiana, Secretary of
the Interior; Edward Bates, of Missouri, Attorney
General; Montgomery Blair, of Maryland, Postmaster
General.
The rebel capital was established at Montgomery,
Alabama. Jefferson Davis had already appointed his
Cabinet, as follows : Robert Toombs, of Georgia, Secre
tary of State; Charles G. Memminger, of South Caro
lina, Secretary of the Treasury; Leroy Pope Walker, of
Alabama, Secretary of War; Stephen R. Mallory, of
Florida, Secretary of the Navy; John H. Reagan, of
Texas, Postmaster General.
Thus were the two governments organized. Presi
dent Lincoln and a majority of his Cabinet hoped that
all differences between the self-styled Confederate gov
ernment and the government of the United States would
be adjusted without a resort to arms ; while Jefferson
Davis's government, which by this time had relinquish
ed the idea of a revolution, and set themselves up as
independent States, asked only to be let alone, to be
allowed to possess all the property of the United States
that they had stolen, and to be acknowledged as inde
pendent States. While the Confederate States claimed
the right to secede from the Union, and set up a govern
ment of their own, the government of the United States
denied that right, and claimed that they were still part
of the Union, and subject to its Constitution and laws.
Major Robert Anderson, with a mere handful of
men, — not more than eighty in all, — was placed in
charge of the fortifications in Charleston harbor. They
mainly tenanted Fort Moultrie, — the older and weaker
of them, — being the most convenient to the city; but it
could not have been held twenty-four hours against a
serious assault. Its garrison was surrounded by a
32 THE GREAT REBELLION.
numerous and frowning foe. During the night of the
f,6th of December, 1860, Major Anderson prudently
transferred his entire force to Fort Sumter, — the most
impregnable of all the forts in the harbor, — taking such
munitions and provisions as he could, destroying the
rest, and spiking the guns, so that they could not be
used by the rebels against Sumter. This was a great
surprise to the rebels, and they complained of it as a
breach of faith, as it was alleged that President Buchan
an had promised that the military status should not be
changed without due notice. On the 27th, — the next
day after the evacuation by Major Anderson, — the rebels
seized Forts Moultrie and Pickens ; and about the same
time the Federal arsenal at Charleston, containing many
thousand stands of arms and a large quantity of military
stores, was seized by the volunteers flocking to that city,
by direction of the State authorities. Castle Pinckney,
Fort Moultrie, and Sullivan's Island were now occupied
by the rebels, and their defenses enlarged and improved,
while the custom-house, post-office, and other govern
ment buildings were likewise appropriated, without re
sistance, the Federal officers there all being secessionists,
and the palmetto flag raised over them. Iron-clad bat
teries had been erected in such number as to command
all the entrances to Charleston harbor, so that no
wooden frigate could pass them, and precluded the pos
sibility of sending reinforcements or supplies to Fort
Sumter. The Star of the West was sent from New
York with reinforcements and supplies on the 5th of
January, which fact was telegraphed by conspirators to
their friends in Charleston. She appeared off the bar
at Charleston on the 9th, and, when nearing Fort Sum
ter, was fired upon from Fort Moultrie and Morris's
Island, and was struck by one shot. Without commu
nicating with Major Anderson, she put about, and
steered for New York. This was the last attempt made
THE GREAT REBELLION. 33
to relieve Major Anderson in his most embarrassed
condition, until early in April, after the inauguration
of the new government, when vessels laden with pro
visions were sent from New York, and arrived off the
bar on the 12th, the day on which fire was opened upon
Sumter. The fleet also returned to New York with
out fulfilling its mission, only having communicated
with Major Anderson by signals.
Such was the situation of affairs on the 12th day of
April, 1861, when the rebels of South Carolina opened
the most wicked and causeless war upon their govern
ment ever recorded in history. In the four succeeding
years events of immense magnitude and importance
transpired, affecting more or less seriously every nook
and corner of our widely extended country, and carry
ing sadness and mourning to almost every fireside in
the land.
On the llth, General Beauregard demanded the
surrender of Fort Sumter to the Confederate Govern
ment, which Major Anderson declined to do, but sug
gested that he would very soon be starved out, if
supplies were not sent him. General Beauregard then
asked of Major Anderson to state at what time he
would evacuate Fort Sumter, if unmolested; and
was answered that he would do so at noon on the
15th, " should I not receive, prior to that time, con
trolling instructions from my government, or addi
tional supplies." This reply was not satisfactory ; and,
at 3.20, A. M., on the 12th, Major Anderson was
notified that fire would be opened on Fort Sumter in
one hour.
At the appointed moment the bombardment com
menced. Fire was almost simultaneously opened
from Fort Moultrie, an iron-clad floating battery in the
harbor, Cummings Point, and Mount Pleasant. Fifty
34 THE GREAT REBELLION.
breaching cannon playing upon the fort, followed by
the crashing and crumbling of brick, s^one, and mor
tar, admonished Major Anderson and his small force
of seventy true men, that their stay in the fort must
be short, unless relieved by a more powerful lieet
than our government then possessed. At seven o'clock,
after breakfast, — the principal part of which was
salt pork, — the command was divided into three re
liefs, each in succession to man the guns for four
hours. Captain Arthur Doubleday was in command
of the first squad, and fired the first gun, which was
directed upon Fort Moultrie. Major Anderson had'
determined to make the best resistance in his power,
though fully aware that the fort must soon succumb
to the greatly superior force with which he had to
contend, while he took the greatest care that his men
should be exposed as little as possible to the shot and
shells of the enemy, which were falling in every direc
tion around them.
Red-hot shot and bursting shells soon set the
wooden barracks on fire, and nearly the whole interior
of the fort blazed like a furnace. For thirty-six hours
the terrific bombardment continued with but occasional
lulls. The garrison in Sumter soon became so ex
hausted that they could make but a feeble response.
The scene inside the fort is described by an eye-witness
as follows : —
" The fire surrounded us on all sides. Fearful that
the walls might crack, and the shells pierce and pros
trate them, we commenced taking the powder out of
the magazine before the fire had fully enveloped it.
"We took ninety-six barrels of powder out, and threw
them into the sea, leaving two hundred barrels in it.
Owing to a lack of cartridges, we kept five men inside
the magazine, serving as we wanted them, thus using
up our shirts, sheets, blankets, and all the available
THE GREAT REBELLION. 35
material in the fort. When we were finally obliged to
close the magazine, and our material for cartridges
was exhausted, we were left destitute of any means to
continue the contest. We had eaten our last biscuit
thirty-six hours before. We came very near being
stifled with the dense, livid smoke from the burning
buildings. Many of the men lay prostrate on the
ground, with wet handkerchiefs over their mouths and
eyes, gasping for breath. It was a moment of immi
nent peril. If an eddy of wind had not ensued, we all
probably should have been suffocated. The crashing
of the shot, the bursting of the shells, the falling of the
walls, and the roar of the flames, made a Pandemonium
of the fort. We, nevertheless, kept up a steady fire."
On the afternoon of the second day of the bombard
ment, Louis T. Wigfall, late a United States senator
from Texas, made his appearance in a small boat, with
a white flag, and was admitted ; and in a conference
with Major Anderson and his officers, insisted that
further resistance was useless. The fort was on fire,
the garrison exhausted, with the Stars and Stripes float
ing defiantly over the ruins. Another deputation soon
arrived, Wigfall having failed to agree with Major
Anderson on the terms for a surrender. After some
conference, it was agreed that the garrison should sur
render the fort, taking with them, as they retired at
their leisure, and in their own way, all their individual
and company property, their side arms, and their tat
tered flag, which they were to salute with a hundred
guns, before they hauled it down.
The battle ceased; the fire was extinguished, after
destroying almost everything combustible in the fort.
Next niorning, about nine o'clock, the evacuation com
menced and the guns of the fort boomed a salute to the
lowering flag, which had been so brtivcJy defended
against the unequal foe. The garrison marched out of
36 THE GREAT REBELLION.
the main gate, preceded by the band, playing "Yankee
Doodle" and "Hail Columbia," with .the Stars and
Stripes floating over them. They embarked on board
the United States ship Baltic, and were carried to New
York, where they met with an enthusiastic reception.
That seven thousand well drilled men, with all the
needed appliances, could overcome seventy, out of pro
visions, — for they had eaten their last biscuit, — and
nearly destitute of ammunition, and with no hope of
succor, was regarded by the chivalry of South Carolina
as a most wonderful and glorious victory, and as
establishing beyond dispute the independence of the
Confederacy.
Arrived at New York, Major Anderson dispatched
to his government the following report : —
" STEAMSHIP BALTIC, OFF SANDY HOOK,
April 18, 1861.
" THE HON. S. CAMERON,
" Secretary of War, Washington, D. Q.
" Sir : Having defended Fort Surnter for thirty-four
hours, until the the quarters were entirely burned, the
main gates destroyed, the gorge wall seriously injured,
the magazine surrounded by flames, and its door closed
from the effects of the heat, four barrels and three
cartridges of powder only being available, and no
provisions but pork remaining, I accepted terms of
evacuation offered by General Beauregard (being the
same offered by him on the llth instant, prior to the
commencement of hostilities), and marched out of the
fort on Sunday afternoon, the 14th instant, with colors
flying and drums beating, bringing away company and
private property, and saluting my flag with fifty guns.
" ROBERT ANDERSON,
" Major First Artillery."
THE GREAT REBELLION. 37
On the next day after the evacuation of Fort Sumter,
April 15, President Lincoln issued a call for seventy-
five thousand volunteers for three months' service, and
called an extra session of Congress to meet on the
ensuing 4th of July. The uprising of the freemen of
the North was such as the world never witnessed before.
The insult to the old honored flag created a feeling of
the most intense indignation, and all party lines seemed
for the time obliterated, and two parties only had an
existence, — those who would destroy the Union, on the
one hand, and those who would defend and preserve
it, at any cost, on the other.
There were many who believed that the state of feel
ing which had resulted in an open rebellion of the
slaveholders against the government, had been pro
duced by extremists both at the North and the South,
instead of attributing the difficulty to its true cause, — •
the wide difference between a society of educated free
men and a society of slaveholders and slaves, when
only the few were educated ; but there were none iu
the free States who openly justified the assault upon
Fort Sumter.
On the 15th of April the President promulgated the
following
" PROCLAMATION.
""Whereas, the laws of the United States have been
for some time past, and now are, opposed, and the
execution thereof obstructed, in the States of South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Lou
isiana, and Texas, by combinations, too powerful to be
suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceed
ings, or by the powers vested in the marshals by law :
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the
United States, in virtue of the power in me vested by
the constitution and the laws, have thought fit to call
38 THE GREAT REBELLION.
forth the militia of the several States of the Union, to
the aggregate number of seventy-five thousand, in
order to suppress said combinations, and to cause the
laws to be duly executed.
" The details of this object will be immediately com-
municated to the State authorities, through the War
Department. I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor,
facilitate, and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the
integrity, and existence of our national Union, and the
perpetuity of popular government, and to redress wrongs
already long enough endured. I deem it proper to say,
that the first service assigned to the forces hereby called
forth, will probably be to repossess the forts, places, and
property which have been seized from the Union. And,
in every event, the utmost care will be observed, consis
tently with the objects aforesaid, to avoid any devasta
tion, any destruction of, or interference with, property,
or any disturbance of peaceful citizens of any part of the
country. And I hereby command the persons compris
ing the combinations aforesaid to disperse, and retire
peaceably to their respective abodes, within twenty days
from this date.
" Deeming that the present condition of public affairs
presents an extraordinary occasion, I do hereby, by vir
tue of the power in me vested by the Constitution, con
vene both Houses of Congress. The Senators and
Representatives are, therefore, summoned to assemble
at their respective chambers, at twelve o'clock, noon, on
Thursday, the fourth day of July next, then and there
to consider and determine such measures as, in their
wisdom, the public safety and interest may seem to
demand.
" In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand,
and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
" Done at the city of Washington, the fifteenth day
of April, in the year of our Lord one. thousand eight
THE GREAT REBELLION. 39
hundred and sixty-one, and of the independence of the
United States the eighty-fifth.
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
" By the President :
" WILLIAM II. SEWARD, Secretary of State."
"With this proclamation, was sent from the War De
partment, to the Governors of the several States, a cir
cular, explaining that the call was for regiments of
infantry, or riflemen only, each regiment to he composed
of s'even hundred and eighty men. They were appor
tioned to the several States as follows: Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Rhocte Island, Connecticut, Dela
ware, Arkansas, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wis
consin, one each; Massachusetts, Tennessee, and North
Carolina, two each; New Jersey, Maryland, Missouri
and Kentucky, four each ; Indiana and Illinois, six each ;
New York, seventeen ; Pennsylvania, sixteen ; and Ohio,
thirteen. These ninety-four regiments would make a
total of seventy-three thousand three hundred and twenty
men. The residue of the seventy-five thousand was to
be furnished by the District of Columbia.
The Governors of the States of Virginia, North Caro
lina, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky utterly refused
to furnish any men for the purpose namedin the proc
lamation. The response of Governor Harris, of Ten
nessee, was as follows, and may be taken as a fair sample
of the replies from the Governors of all the above-named
States: —
" Tennessee will not furnish a single man for coercion ;
but fifty thousand, if necessary for the defense of our
rights, and those of our brethren."
Governor Jackson, of Missouri, in reply to the call,
said, —
" It is illegal, unconstitutional, revolutionary, inhu
man, diabolical, and cannot be complied with. Not one
40 THE GREAT REBELLION.
man will the State of Missouri furnish to carry on so
unholy a crusade." m
Governor Burton, of Delaware, took until the 26th
of April to consider the matter, and then replied, that
'•The laws of this State do not confer upon the Execu
tive any authority allowing him to comply wHh such
requisition."
Governor Hicks, of Maryland, though claiming to be
a Unionist himself, and that his State was still in the
Union, gave the Union cause but a very cold support
when called upon for troops to uphold it. On the 18th
of April he issued a proclamation to the people of Mary
land, assuring them that he should do all in his power
to preserve " the honor and integrity of the State, and
to maintain within her limits that peace so earnestly
desired by all good citizens." And adding," No troops
will be sent from Maryland, unless it may be for the
defense of the national capital."
On the 17th of April, Jefferson Davis, the head of a
band of conspirators and rebels, issued a proclamation,
authorizing privateers to be fitted out from all parts of
the South, to prey upon the commerce of the United
States, and this, too, when the North had been robbed
by these conspirators of its entire naval force, and had
not half a dozen vessels which could be called into our
waters to protect our merchant marine.
As a protection against this piratical proclamation,
President Lincoln, on the 19th of April, announced the
blockade of all ports of the seceded States. As if by
magic a naval force sprang into existence, and in less
than ninety days over three hundred armed vessels of
war were sailing beneath the Stars and Stripes, with
brave men upon their decks, ready to avenge any insult
to their honored flag.
About this time there was a determination on the
part of leading rebels to capture the City of Washing-
THE GREAT REBELLION. 41
ton at all hazards. The Richmond Examiner, of April
23d, said, " The capture of Washington City is perfectly
within the power of Virginia and Maryland, if Virginia
will only make the effort by her constituted authorities.
The entire population pant for the onset. Our people
can take it; they will take it; and Scott, the arch-
traitor, and Lincoln, the beast, combined, cannot pre
vent it."
It has been conclusively proved that the following
was the plot for the capture of the capital of the nation,
with all the public property. A conspiracy was formed
by leading Virginians, with prominent secessionists in
Washington, and a band of traitors of influence and
wealth in Baltimore, to accomplish the infamous and
cowardly act in the following manner : Virginia did not
then pretend to be out of the Union, and was fully rep
resented in both branches of Congress. The Virginians,
at the head of between two and three thousand desperate
men, were to make a descent upon Harper's Ferry, seize
the arsenal there, which contained twenty-five thousand
stand of arms, and thus supply themselves with an abund
ance of weapons and ammunition. They were then to
descend the Potomac to Washington, and make a fierce
onset in the streets of the city. Traitors there, in strong
bands, armed to the teeth, were prepared to receive them.
Incendiaries were designated to fire the city at several
points. Amid the terror and confusion of this sudden
assault, the conspirators were to seize the most import
ant government buildings, and convert them into for
tresses, where they could defy any immediate attack
from the bewildered government, and whence they could
command the city.
While all this was being done, the conspirators in
Baltimore were to cut off all communication with the
North, by burning bridges, tearing up railways, and
seizing the post-office and telegraph stations. Should
42 THE GREAT REBELLION.
troops attempt to reach Washington from the Forth,
a mob was to destroy them in the streets of Baltimore.
Troops were to rush from the South to the captured
city, and occupy all important military stations. Vir
ginia and Maryland were thus to he dragged into seces
sion, and Washington was to be the capital of the
Southern Confederacy.
When this damnable plot was discovered, just on the
eve of its execution, it seemed almost impossible for the
government to thwart it. Washington was filled with
traitors and rebels ; no reliance could be placed upon
the militia ; Southern traitors were occupying the most
important posts in the army, and the government did
not know who could be trusted. The government
seemed surrounded with difficulties, from which there
appeared to be no way of extrication ; and the North,
though burning to avenge the insult upon the flag in
the unprovoked attack upon Sumter, had not begun to
comprehend the extent of the danger to the national
capital, and it is doubtful if they do now, or ever will,
since the government passed the crisis more easily than
the most sanguine had reason to hope it would.
This plot was made known on the 18th of April, con
fidentially, to the loyal people of Washington, and gen
tlemen temporarily there, who were known to be friends
of the Union. A gentleman who was there, and took
part in the transactions, says, —
" A few trusty friends of the government, visitors in
Washington, immediately commenced vigorous, but
secret measures, to assist the administration in this
fearful crisis. They hastened, by committees, to all the
hotels, and sought out those known to be true to the
Union, informed them of the peril, and appointed a
meeting that very evening, in the church in the rear of
Willard's Hotel, where they would not attract attention.
Solemnly, and with intense emotion, they administered
THE GREAT REBELLION. 43
the oath anew, of fidelity to the national flag, to evfery
one to whom they confided the secret, and then gave to
each the pass which would admit him to the church.
This work was speedily accomplished, for there was not
a moment to he lost, and soon about two hundred men
were assembled in the church.
" After listening to a few words of eloquence, which
yet burn in the souls of some of the volunteers in that
dark night of the nation's peril, the company formed
themselves into the noted l CASSIUS M. CLAY BATTAL
ION.' These noble men, many of whom were among
the most distinguished for wealth and position to be
found in our land, were enrolled under efficient officers
into small patrol parties, and marched all night long
through the streets of the city, to guard against incendi
aries, and to prevent the assembling of conspirators.
They had orders to shoot down promptly any who should
resist their authority."
Another party of three hundred men were also ap
pointed, under General Lane, to go unobserved to the
"White House, and bivouac in the East Room, ready to
give a warm reception to any parties who might make
a sudden attack upon the Presidential Mansion. For
three weeks the East Room was thus occupied. Gen
eral Scott promptly took unobserved possession of the
Capitol, with a sufficient number of men to maintain a
desperate defense, where were deposited great quanti
ties of military stores and provisions. Thus was the
"White House and the Capitol to be held until troops
from the North could fight their way through Maryland
for their rescue if besieged. The greatest care was exer
cised by the government to guard against surprise.
At ten o'clock, on the night of the 19th, Lieutenant
Jones, of the United States army, who was in command
at Harper's Ferry, with but forty-three men, received
reliable information that Governor Letcher, of Virginia,
44 THE GREAT REBELLION.
had sent three thousand State troops, via Winchester,
and that they would reach Harper's Ferry^in two hours;
and that three hundred troops, from Hallstown, were
within twenty minutes' march of the arsenal. Combus
tibles had been previously prepared, and everything in
readiness to blow up the arsenal and other buildings of
the armory, should he find the enemy coming upon him
in overwhelming numbers. In a trice the torch was
applied, and the buildings were all in a blaze, and Lieu
tenant Jones, with his forty- three men, retreated across
the bridge into Maryland, and, after marching all night,
reached Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where they were safe
from attack from the traitors. The secessionists at the
Ferry rushed, to the arsenal, and vainly attempted to
extinguish the flames. In their rage, they pursued the
heroic band, and, firing upon them, killed two of their
number. Before morning nearly five thousand Virginia
troops were in possession of the ruins at Harper's Ferry.
On the 17th of April, a convention in Virginia secretly
passed an ordinance of secession, which was for a time
kept from the knowledge of the community, that more
effectual measures might be adopted for seizing the
government property and fortifications in that State,
though a private messenger was sent to inform the
Confederate government of the action of the convention.
Government property, to the amount of many millions
of dollars, was accumulated at Norfolk Navy Yard,
including machine-shops, founderies, store-houses, to
gether with immense amounts of naval and military
stores, the whole estimated as worth over nine millions
of dollars. The new steam-frigate Merriniac, the Penn
sylvania, the largest line-of-battle ship in the world, the
Germantown, the Dolphin, and other war vessels, were
floating in the harbor. By order of Governor Letcher,
on the night of the 16th of April, a large number of
boats, laden with stone, were sunk in the channel, so
THE GREAT REBELLION. 45
that these large vessels could not pass out, and arrange
ments were made for seizing the yard. Captain
McCaulay, who was in command of the yard, and most
of the sub-officers were traitors.
It became evident that the yard could not be held,
but that it must fall into the hands of the rebels, and
it was determine I to destroy it ; and the steamship
Pawnee was sent from Fortress Monroe to aid in the
work. When she appeared at Norfolk, she met with a
most enthusiastic welcome from the crews of the Penn
sylvania, and other war vessels lying there. The Pawnee
arrived, and made fast to the dock at Norfolk about nine
o'clock on the evening of the 21st of April, immediately
landed her troops, and seized the gates of the yard, so
that no traitors could enter. Everything of value was
removed from the Pennsylvania. What could not be
removed was thrown overboard, and every preparation
made for a great conflagration. At four o'clock next
morning, all the men from the yard, except a few left to
fire the trains, which had been carefully laid, were taken
on board the Cumberland and Pawnee, and the former
took the latter vessel in tow. At a given signal the
torch was applied, and everything combustible, includ
ing the Pennsylvania and several other war vessels, was
destroyed.
To put down this well-planned and most wicked
rebellion, the North, as one man, nobly responded to
the call of President Lincoln for troops. On the even
ing of the eighteenth, four hundred Pennsylvania vol
unteers reached Washington. On the same day the
Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts volunteers left Boston
for Washington, and arrived at Baltimore on the 19th,
where they were joined by a regiment from Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia regiment was without arms, and the
Sixth Massachusetts was but partially armed.
46 THE GREAT REBELLION.
In passing from one railroad station to another in
Baltimore, a distance of two and a half miles, the cars
had to be drawn by horses. The Massachusetts and
Philadelphia troops occupied seventeen cars. The five
foremost cars, containing a portion of the Massachusetts
troops, were sent forward. There being no horses for
the other cars, the residue of the r< giment, of whom
but a small portion were armed, left tne cars and formed
in the street, waiting the arrival of horses. None came,
for a secession mob which filled the streets had covered
the track immediately behind the cars which had been
sent forward, with heavy timbers, anchors, stones, and
other obstructions, to prevent the passage of the other
cars. The residue of the regiment were assailed by the
mob with showers of stones and other missiles, hurled
from the streets and house-tops, and several soldiers
were knocked down and badly injured. In the confu
sion, one of the rioters stepped up behind a young sol
dier, seized his gun, and shot him dead. At this the
soldiers were ordered to fire, and those who had loaded
muskets obeyed the order, with some effect, which
caused the mob to recoil. The soldiers, learning that
the track had been obstructed, commenced their march
from the Camden to the Washington depot, surrounded
and followed by the mob, preceded by Mayor Brown
and a strong detachment of police. The mob closed in,
and attempted to cut off a portion of the rear, which be
ing hardly pressed was ordered to fire, which they did.
Several volleys were fired by a small portion of the regi
ment, killing eleven and wounding four of the rioters.
Three soldiers were killed and eight seriously injured.
The Massachusetts regiment finally reached the Wash
ington depot, and were sent forward to the city of
Washington. The train was repeatedly fired at from
the hills and woods along the route, but, providentially,
no one was injured. The Philadelphia regiment hav-
THE GREAT REBELLION. 47
ing no arms, after a severe hand-to-hand fight with the
mob, returned to that city.
The telegraph wires connecting Baltimore and the
free States were cut, and the railroad bridges northward
and north-westward from Baltimore, on the railroads to
Philadelphia and Harrisburg, were burned, thus shut
ting off Washington from all communication with the
Northern States. In the mean time, however, the North
was making all possible haste in enlisting, arming,
equipping, and making ready for the field her noble
and patriotic sons.
THE GREAT REBELLION. 49
ACTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
FAJRT II.
THE people of New Hampshire, in common with
those of New England, and all the free States, were
aroused to their utmost by news of the assault upon
Fort Sumter. The feeling of indignation was intense.
The flag of the common country had been assaulted by
insurgents in a State that claimed the right to secede
from the Union so dear to every loyal citizen of the
country. A war had been commenced upon the Gov
ernment of the United States by South Carolina, and it
only remained for the loyal North to accept the situa
tion. Party lines were for the time forgotten, and men,
without scarcely an exception, were ready to do their
utmost to protect and sustain the Government. The
Capital of the Nation was in danger of capture by the
rebels, and troops must be sent, without delay, to defend
it from their threatened attacks.
New Hampshire had no organized militia that could
be called into active service. The enrollment required
by law had been so imperfect that no fair and equal
50 TEE GREAT REBELLION.
draft could be made upon her citizens liable to be called
into active service, in case of insurrectjpn at home or
invasion from abroad, and it only remained for the Gov
ernor to call for volunteers to fill the quota of the State —
one regiment of 780 officers and men — under the call of
the President for seventy-five thousand troops for three
months' service.
Immediately upon the receipt by telegraph of Presi
dent Lincoln's Proclamation, Ichabod Goodwin, then
Governor, issued the following order :
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, 1
Concord, April 16, 1861. J
To JOSEPH C. ABBOTT, Adjutant and Inspector-General of
the New Hampshire Militia :
SIR : The President of the United States having, in
pursuance of the act of Congress approved February 28,
1795, called upon the State of New Hampshire for a
regiment of militia, consisting of ten companies of in
fantry, to be held in readiness to be mustered into the
service of the United States for the purpose of quelling
insurrection and supporting the government :
I, ICHABOD GOODWIN, Governor of New Hampshire,
command you to make proclamation, calling for volun
teers from the enrolled militia of this State, to the num
ber required, and to issue from time to time all neces
sary orders and instructions for enrolling and holding
in readiness to be mustered into the service of said vol
unteer corps, agreeably to the aforesaid requisition.
ICHABOD GOODWIN,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief.
By the command of the Governor,
THOMAS L. TULLOCK, Secretary of State.
ACTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. 51
The foregoing was succeeded immediately 'by the
following :
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.
ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFK
Concord, April 16, 1861.
GENERAL ORDER,
No. 6.
In pursuance of a proclamation by the President of
the United States, the Governor of this State, in a pro
clamation dated at Concord this day, has ordered the
enlistment of one regiment of infantry within the State
of New Hampshire, to be held in readiness for service
whenever called for.
The regiment will consist of one Colonel, one Lieu
tenant-Colonel, one Major, one Adjutant, one Quarter
master, one Quartermaster-Sergeant, one Paymaster, one
Surgeon, one Surgeon's Mate, one Chaplain, one Ser
geant-Major, one Drum-Major, and one Fife-Major.
Each company will consist of one Captain, one First
Lieutenant, one Second Lieutenant, four Sergeants, four
Corporals, two Musicians, and sixty-four Privates.
The officers of the volunteers will be commissioned
according to the laws of the State of New Hampshire.
None under the rank of commissioned officers will be
received who are under the age of eighteen or over the
age of forty-five.
Volunteers who shall be accepted will be uniformed,
armed and equipped at the expense of .the State, and
their pay will be the same as that of the corresponding
rank in the army of the United States.
Any military company at present existing, or any
number of citizens desirous of associating for the sup
port of the laws and the defense of their country, or any
52 THE GREAT REBELLION.
individual desirous of entering upon the service of the
United States, are requested to report themselves to this
Department forthwith.
By order of His Excellency, the Governor and Com-
mander-in-Chief.
JOSEPH C. ABBOTT,
Adjutant and Inspector- General.
To raise the regiment called for from NQW Hampshire
by the President's proclamation, in the shortest possible
time, enlistment papers were immediately issued by the
Adjutant-General for twenty-eight stations, in different
parts of the State, and offices were opened for the en
listment of soldiers for three months' service. Col.
Henry 0. Kent, of Lancaster, Major Frank S. Fiske,
of Keene, and Col. Jeremiah C. Tilton, of Sanbornton,
were appointed aids to the Adjutant General, to assist
in obtaining the requisite number of men, and send
them to rendezvous at Concord, as soon as practicable.
Daily reports were required to be made by the several
enlisting officers to the Adjutant-General, of the number
of men enrolled by each, with other needed information.
The greatest activity and enthusiasm was manifested in
every part of the State, and almost every farm, work
shop and business establishment within her borders, sent
forth its representative to the field.
While the men wrere engaged in the work of raising
soldiers, the women organized and were making flannel
shirts, drawers and other articles for the comfort of the
soldiers in the field, and gathering linen and winding
bandages for hospitals. Every individual felt that there
was a duty to perform in the emergency in which the
country was placed by the action of South Carolina and
other seceded States of the old Union. Public meetings
were called in every considerable town, which were
largely attended by men and women ; patriotic speeches
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 53
were made and measures taken to encourage enlistments,
and funds pledged by individuals and towns to assist the
families of those who should go to the field.
It appearing by reports from the different recruiting
stations that men enough had been enlisted to fill the
regiment, orders were issued on the 24th of April to
take them to Concord, where a camp was established,
and CQ!. John H. Gage, of Nashua, was ordered to as
sume command. The camp was upon the Fair Grounds
of the Merrimack County Agricultural Society, about a
mile east from the State House. Col. Gage called it
" Camp Union," by which name it was afterwards
known.
Men were brought in by companies and squads from
every part of the State, and it was soon found that more
than enough had assembled to fill the regiment called
for, when it was determined by the State authorities to
organize, arm, equip, and make ready for the field, and
hold subject to orders from the War Department at
Washington, two regiments, of seven hundred and
eighty officers and men each. To this end, after a par
tial organization of the first regiment, the residue of
the men were sent to Portsmouth, with a view to plac
ing a portion of them in Fort Constitution to garrison
that post, which was deemed of importance to the se
curity of the sea-coast of the State. Brigadier General
George Stark, of Nashua, was ordered to Portsmouth to
take charge of the men and the preliminary organization
of the second regiment, and arrived there on the 30th
of April. Col. Henry 0. Kent, of Lancaster, was placed
in charge of the Quartermaster Department. The camp
at Portsmouth was named " Camp Constitution."
The following is the whole number of men enlisted
for three months, between the 17th of April, when the
first papers were issued, and the 30th of the same month,
with the places where they were enlisted and the names
THE GREAT REBELLION.
of enlisting officers. This will show that New Hamp
shire, though with no organized militia which could be
placed immediately under the orders of the War Depart
ment, like Massachusetts and some of the other States,
was not behind them in zeal and devotion to the cause
of the country:
Towns.
Concord,
Salem,
Bradford,
Portsmouth,
Dover,
Manchester,
Newport,
New London,
Lancaster,
Laconia,
Claremont,
Conway,
Hampton,
Peterborough,
Littleton,
Plymouth,
Keene,
West Lebanon,
Contoocookville,
Nashua,
North Stratford,
Exeter,
Niagara Company,
Abbott Guards,
Cheshire Light Guards,
Mechanics' Phalanx,
Granite State Guards,
Milford ComDany,
Enlisting Officers.
E. E. Sturtevant.
J. D. Drew,
M. W. Tappan,
W. 0. Sides,
G. W. Colbath,
J. L. Kelley,
I. McL. Barton,
A. J. Sargent,
I. S. M. Gove,
W. II. Wyman,
W. P. Austin,
Joshua Chapman,
C. F. Dunbar,
E. Weston,
W. H. Rowell,
J. H. Thompson,
H. C. Handerson,
F. Comings,
J. N. Patterson,
E. 0. Greenleaf,
S. E. Chase,
C. H. Bell,
A. S. Edgerly,
W. H. D. Cochrane,
T. A. Barker,
J. N. Bruce,
Ichabod Pearl,
George Gillis,
Whole number,
2004
Soon after the arrival of the men at Portsmouth, and
before the organization of the second regiment was com
pleted, orders were received by the Governor from the
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 55
"War Department to hold in readiness for its call one
regiment only of three months' men ; and to enlist, or
ganize, arm, equip, and make ready for service one
regiment, of ten hundred and forty-six officers and men,
for three years, or during the war.
On the 19th of May, by direction of the Governor, a
general order was issued, directing that the opportunity
to enlist in the three years' regiment should be offered
first to the three months' men assembled in the camp at
Portsmouth. Enlistment papers were accordingly dis
tributed on the 21st, and four hundred and ninety-six
of those men who had enlisted for three months, im
mediately re-enlisted for three years, or during the war,
as follows :
From Claremont Company, 53
" Lancaster Company, 44
" Conway Company, 20
" Milford Company, 21
" Keene, two companies, 90
" Laconia Company, 37
" Littleton Company, 34
" Portsmouth Company, 70
" Manchester, two Companies, 71
" Concord Company, 56
Whole number, 496
The men thus re-enlisted, having left their business,
families and homes, for an absence of three months only,
were given furloughs of from three to six days, to enable
them to make arrangements for such absence as their
new enlistment involved. The remainder of the men
enlisted for three months, were then carefully examined
by a surgeon, a portion of them discharged for disa
bility, others at their own request, 274 sent to Fort
Constitution, in Portsmouth harbor, to serve out their
term of enlistment, and 38 returned to Camp Union,
Concord.
Orders had been sent to different recruiting stations
56 THE GREAT REBELLION.
to enlist men to fill up the three years' regiment, and on
the 26th of May they began to arrive aj Camp Constitu
tion. Between the 26th and 30th the following reported
to Gen. Stark:
Dover Volunteers, Capt. Rollins, 99
Exeter Volunteers, Capt. Smith, 58
Hampton Volunteers, Capt. Dunbar, 42
Rifle Rangers, Manchester, Capt. Carr, 100
Goodwin Rifles, Concord, Capt. Griffin, 90
Contoocook Volunteers, Capt. Patterson, 72
Canaan Volunteers, Capt. Smith, 14
Peterborough Volunteers, Capt. Weston, 50
"Whole number, . 525
Re-enlisted men, 496
1021
The regiment was soon filled to its maximum number,
1046, by enlistments, and the work of organizing, officer
ing, uniforming, arming, equipping, drilling and mak
ing it ready for orders from the War Department, was
prosecuted with commendable vigor.
When the men were being enlisted for these two
regiments, no one either north or south, however well
informed, seemed to appreciate in the smallest degree
the magnitude* of the war that had been begun at Fort
Sumter. Many, and indeed most men, believed that
before our men could be made ready for marching
orders the rebels would abandon their mad schemes, by
the operation of the sober second thought, return to their
homes, and that the service of the 75,000 three months'
troops called for by the President, would not be re
quired ; and hardly any one believed that the two sec
tions of the country would met in deadly conflict. A
few weeks only were required to prove how fallacious
were all speculations upon the subject, and how little
the people of one section of the country knew of the
temper and disposition of the people of the other section.
THREE MONTHS' MEN. 57
FIRST REGIMENT.
THE men rendezvoused at Concord were placed in
hastily constructed barracks, given plenty of clean straw
for bedding, and made as comfortable as circumstances
would admit, though they had to wait some days for
blankets and other needed articles, with which they were
afterwards supplied. Their sleeping accommodations
were very different from what they had been accustomed
to at home. They submitted with good grace to what
seemed an imperative necessity, and made themselves
merry over their beds and sleeping apartments. One
man from Newport, who had been a stage-driver for
many years, and was somewhat famous in that vicinity
as a careful, skillful and jolly whip, sent to a fellow
stage-man the following message : " I want you to send
me a fork to pitch up my bedding."
These men were many of them from the best families
in the State, and enlisted out of motives of pure patriot
ism. The country needed their services, and they gave
them with alacrity. No bounties were offered, and the
pay to which they were entitled was the same as that of
private soldiers in the regular army — eleven dollars per
month.
The men began to arrive in camp on the 24th of April,
and were soon organized into squads and companies,
temporarily for the purpose of drill, and men designated
to instruct them, the camp being under the command
of Col. John H. Gage, of Nashua, who was a year, or
two afterwards killed by the accidental discharge of a
gun, while out hunting. The regiment was perma
nently organized as follows :
Colonel, Mason W. Tappan, of Bradford.
Lieut. Colonel, Thomas J. Whipple, of Laconia.
58 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Major, Aaron F. Stevens, of Nashua.
Adjutant, Enoch Q. Fellows, of Sandwich.
Quartermaster, Richard N. Batchelder, of Manchester.
Paymaster, Moses K. Hazelton, of Bradford.
Surgeon, Alpheus B. Crosby, of Hanover.
Asst. Surgeon, Henry C. Shaw, of Hanover.
Chaplain, Stephen G. Abbott,* of Bradford.
Sergt. Major, George Y. Sawyer, of Nashua.
Quartermaster Sergt., Albert Lull, of Milford.
Fife Major, Francis II. Pike, of Manchester.
Drum Major, William Carr, of Concord.
The Company officers were as follows :
Co. A, Captain, Louis Bell, of Farmington; First
Lieut,, George W. Colbath, of Dover; Second Lieut.,
Oliver M. Clark, of Dover.
Co. B, Captain, Daniel R. Kenney, of Sandwich ; First
Lieut., Charles W. Sawyer, of Dover; Second Lieut.,
Joseph "W. Wallace, of Dover.
Co. C, Captain, John L. Kelley ; First Lieut., Martin
Y. B. Richardson; Second Lieut., Charles 0. Jennison,
all of Manchester.
Co. D, Captain, Ira McL. Barton; First Lieut., Ed
ward Nettleton; Second Lieut, Dexter G. Reed, all of
Newport.
Co. E, Captain, Richard 0. Greenleaf; First Lieut.,
William F. Greeley; Second Lieut., John W. Thomp
son, all of Nashua.
Co. F, Captain, Augustus S. Edgerly; First Lieut.,
George W. Handley ; Second Lieut, George W. Whip-
pie, all of Nashua.
*Most of the material facts of which the history of this regiment is composed have been
famished by Rev. Stephen G. Abbott, its worthy Chaplain. In some part* of it his lan
guage is used, and in others it ia the author's, as the case seemed to require.
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 59
Co. G, Captain, Andrew J. Sargent, of New London;
First Lieut., Horace T. H. Pierce, of Keene; Second
Lieut., Charles H. Drummer, of Keene.
Co. H, Captain, Jeremiah D. Drew, of Salem ; First
Lieut., John M. Clark, of Salem; Second Lieut., Israel
L. Drew, of Lawrence, Mass.
Co. I, Captain, Edward E. Sturtevant; First Lieut.,
Henry W. Fuller; Second Lieut., Enoch W. Goss, all
of Concord.
Co. K, Captain, Oilman E. Sleeper, of Salem; First
Lieut., Enoch Q. Fellows, of Sandwich; Second Lieut.,
Hollis 0. Dudley, of Manchester.
COLONEL MASON W. TAPPAN.
Colonel Tappan is a son of the late "Weare Tappan,
for many years a lawyer at Bradford, and died in 1866.
Mason was born at Newport, Sullivan County, October
20, 1817, and at an early age removed with his family
to Bradford, in Merrimack County, where he has since
resided. He fitted for college, studied law with his
father and Hon. George W. Nesmith, of Franklin, now
one of the judges of the Supreme Judicial Court, and
was admitted to the Bar in 1841.
Colonel Tappan acted with the Free Soil, American
and Republican parties, each in their turn. Although
the town of Bradford was largely democratic, such was
his personal popularity with his fellow-townsmen that
he was elected to the Legislature successively in 1853,
1854 and 1855, and was one of the most prominent, in
dustrious and able members of the House. He was a
candidate for Speaker of the House in 1854, and not
withstanding there was a democratic majority in that
body of about twenty, came within two votes of an elec
tion. The same year he was nominated by the Whigs,
Free Soilers, Independent Democrats and Americans for
60 THE GREAT REBELLION.
member of Congress from the Second District, and was
elected in March, 1855. He was twi«e re-elected, and
served in the 34th, 35th and 36th Congresses, with
marked ability, and to the acceptance of his constitu
ents. In the 34th and 35th Congresses he served upon
the Judiciary Committee, and in the 36th was chairman
of the Committee on Claims.
In July, 1856, Col. Tappan made an able speech, the
House being in Committee of the Whole on the state of
the Union, upon the subject of the extension of slavery
into Kansas, which was listened to with marked atten
tion. The following is its closing paragraph :
"In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, let me say that we
seek no quarrel with our brethren of the South. This
is an issue which they have forced upon us, and, with
God's blessings, we will me1f it as becomes worthy de
scendants of patriotic sires ! You sometimes tell us
that you want to be let alone. That is precisely what
we intend to do. We will interfere with none of your
rights. Whatever is ' nominated in the bond/ that we
will yield. In turn, is it too much for us to make the
same request of you — that you will let us alone? If
Slavery be a blessing, to you shall inure all its benefits.
If it be a curse, do not ask to place it upon our soil — to
involve us in its guilt. We desire to cultivate the rela
tions of peace and of fraternal kindness with the people
of the South."
In March, 1858, Col. Tappan delivered another able
speech in the House upon Slavery Agitation, Nullifica
tion, and the Lecompton Constitution, in which he said
he wished " to put on record the protest of New Hamp
shire against what I conceive to be the most stupendous
political fraud that was ever before attempted to be per
petrated upon any people ! "
In the 36th Congress, in the winter of 1860-61, Col.
Tappan was placed upon the celebrated select commit-
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 61
tee of thirty-three — one from each State — to whom was
referred so much of the President's annual message as
related to the then disturbed state of the country, and
joined with C. C. Washburn, of Wisconsin, in a minor
ity report. The majority had agreed to and submitted
a report to the House, recommending amendments to
the Constitution which would give to the South all and
more than they had claimed for their peculiar institu
tion. The minority report was an able document, and
concluded with recommending the adoption by the
House of the following resolution, which was the same
as had been offered in the Senate by Mr. Clark, of ^"ew
Hampshire :
" Resolved, That the provisions of the Constitution are
ample for the preservation of the Union, and the pro
tection of the material interests of the country ; that it
needs to be obeyed rather than amended ; and our ex
trication from present difficulties is to be looked for in
efforts to preserve and protect the public property and
enforce the laws, rather than in new guarantees for par
ticular interests, or compromises or concessions to un
reasonable demands."
When the minority report was submitted, on the 5th
of February, 1861, Mr. Tappan made a speech in the
House, defending in an eloquent and forcible manner
the position he and his associate, Mr. Washburn, had
taken. He declared it as his belief that no compromise
measures could be adopted by Congress which would
appease the fury of the South or be productive of any
good. He also declared his faith in the patriotism of
the mass of the people of the country and in the Consti
tution to carry the nation safely through the crisis then
pending. These positions were justified by subsequent
events.
Col. Tappan was appointed by members of the House
of Representatives on the Vigilance Committee at
62 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Washington, the latter part of the winter of 1861, wheu
the very atmosphere of that localitf seemed charged
with treason, and was most zealous and active in watch
ing the movements of rebels resident and temporarily
there plotting the destruction of the Capital and our
national existence.
On the call of President Lincoln for 75,000 volunteers
for three months, Col. Tappan was one of the first men
in the State to enlist. When the First Regiment was
being organized, he was regarded by almost everybody
who knew him as the proper person to take command
of it, and was accordingly appointed and commissioned
Colonel by Gov. Goodwin. As a commander he was
patriotic, brave, thoughtful of and kind to his officers
and men, and respected by all. He returned to the
State with his regiment at the expiration of its term of
enlistment, and was mustered out with it. Afterwards,
when Col. Whipple resigned the command of the Fourth
Regiment, it was offered by Gov. Berry to Col. Tappan,
but he declined it for the reason that it would be unjust
to Lieut. Col. Bell and other officers of the regiment.
He did not again enter the arm}7. As the subsequent
regiments were organized the command of them was
earnestly sought by scores of good and patriotic men,
while Col. Tappan modestly waited the call of his coun
try.
Since the close of the 36th Congress, when his third
term in the House of Representatives expired, Col. Tap-
pan has devoted himself assiduously to the practice of
his profession, and is regarded as among the first law
yers in the State, both as counselor and advocate. He
has taken an active part in nearly every political can
vass in the State for the last fifteen years, delivering
many eloquent and effective speeches upon pending
issues.
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 63
As a citizen, a neighbor writes of him : " Mr. Tappan's
kindness to the poor and afflicted; his fidelity as a
friend; his sensitiveness of heart, and his honor in hia
profession, are proverbial among his most intimate ac
quaintances."
From the, 1st to the 4th of May the First Regiment
was mustered into the service of the United States.
The State uniformed and equipped the officers, and sup
plied the regiment with tents, camp equipage of almost
every description, sixteen thorough built four-horse
baggage wagons, a two-horse ambulance, and excellent
horses and harnesses for the whole ; medical stores,
surgical instruments, provisions, etc., sufficient to en
able the men to support themselves for weeks, if neces
sary.
Thus equipped the regiment embarked on board the
cars at Concord, on the morning of the 25th of May,
bound for the seat of war. The train consisted of eigh
teen passenger cars and the same number of frieght cars.
The novelty of the event, together with the anxious and
tender solicitude of friends, drew together a great crowd
to witness the departure. The masses which packed
the area, swaying to and fro at every movement; the
groups of friends with hearts wildly beating against
each other as they exchanged parting embraces and
kisses ; the sobs and cries that bespoke the tender af
fection of mothers, sisters, wives and loved ones ; the
deep sympathy that came welling up from all hearts
and betraying itself in the anxious and tearful counte
nance ; all this in strange contrast with the boisterous
shouting and laughing of the soldiers — some of which
might be traced to recklessness, but much more to a
desperate attempt to maintain their courage and cheer
fulness — together with the rousing cheers of the multi
tude as a final farewell, were prominent features in the
64 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
picture, which will not soon fade from the memory ot
those who witnessed the scene, and especially those who
were actors in it.
The progress of the regiment thence onward was one
continued ovation through all the inhabited portions of
the route. Every house displayed its flag ; the husband
men left their fields to give them words of cheer ; in
villages and thickly settled districts the roadsides were
lined with the inhabitants — men, women and children,
vieing with each other in their sentiments of honor and
words and deeds of encouragement. At Worcester,
Mass., the citizens provided a magnificent entertain
ment in Mechanics' Hall, spread upon tables sufficient
to accommodate the entire regiment. This favor was
most opportune and was gratefully remembered by the
soldiers during their campaign. Leaving Worcester
the regiment proceeded by the Sound route to New
York, arriving there on Sunday morning, May 26th,
and enjoyed the hospitalities of the city. The soldiers
were entertained at the Arsenal, and a sumptuous din
ner was provided for the officers at the Astor House.
The Sons of New Hampshire in New York, number
ing four hundred and fifty, met at the Brandreth House,
at half-past seven o'clock in the morning, and organized
by choosing Charles L. Frost, chairman, and John P.
March, Secretary, and marched to the steamboat wharf
to meet the regiment. On this occasion and before the
arrival of the boat, impromtu speeches were made by
Dr. W. M. Chamberlain, H. B. Perkins and Judge Pea-
body. It was also resolved that they should form an
association for the relief of New Hampshire soldiers,
and that the families of the troops should be cared for
in the absence of their protectors, all present pledging
themselves to carry out the project to the fullest extent.
A committee, styled a Committee of Aid and Corre
spondence, was appointed, and consisted of the follow-
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 65
ing gentlemen : Robert Colby, New London ; W. M.
Chamberlain, Hanover; John P. March, Rochester;
Charles E. Soule, Exeter; Levi P. Morton, Bristol;
George E. Mendum, Portsmouth ; L. L. Britton, Or-
ford; George II. Moore, Concord; John L. Hanson,
Dover. The steamers arrived between nine and ten
o'clock, and while the men were disembarking, Fred
A. Briggs, of Claremout, then clerk ut the LaFarge
House, was raised upon some cotton bales and ordered
to lead the singing of " America " and " Old Hundred,"
which he did with spirit, while the whole Association
sung most enthusiastically. They sung and cheered un
til they were hoarse, and as Col. Tappan passed by them
at the head of his troops the excitement was intense.
A procession was formed under the marshalship of Sid
ney Webster, and the entire body marched to the Bran-
dreth House, where a beautiful silk flag was presented
to the regiment by Judge Bonney, in the following
speech :
"FELLOW CITIZENS AND SOLDIERS OF NEW HAMP
SHIRE : — We, natives of the Granite State, desire to
welcome you to the metropolis. It is not our place to
inquire why you are here. We all know that in time
of old, when the liberty of the country, and the people
was in danger, New Hampshire sent a large number of
men to the support of the government. We know that
when the Constitution was subsequently in danger, and
when it was sought to be violated in the halls of the
Legislature, New Hampshire sentforth expounders ablest
of them all. And now, when the cry has gone forth that
the country is in danger and the Constitution unsafe,
New Hampshire comes to the rescue as of old, and says
the Union and the Constitution shall be maintained.
(Cheers). Soldiers, you are going to fight a great fight
— fight in a great cause, and for great principles. It is
to be determined now whether man is capable of self-
66 THE GREAT REBELLION.
government, and whether we have a government at all.
"We know that when you meet danger you will meet it
as your forefathers did — without fear. We of the Gran
ite State desire to present you with this banner, to be
borne in the struggle. It bears no strange or unusual
device. It is the old Stars and Stripes, the device of
our fathers, grown broader and broader every year as a
new star has been added to the glorious constellation.
It is that untarnished flag which has never suffered dis
honor or humiliation, and which was only lowered at
Sumter by the odds of seven thousand men against
seventy. To your hands we intrust the banner, feeling
secure that it will be nobly borne, and that the words
of General Dix : ' If any man attempts to haul down
that flag, shoot him on the spot,' will ever accompany
it. This is not the time for talking. We will present
you with the flag, and bid you ' Onward — God speed/
Those whom you have left behind you, and those you
see around you, will come to your aid if you ever
should call for assistance, and to this end we all pledge
ourselves."
Colonel Tappan replied in a neat and appropriate
speech, substantially as follows :
" Sons of New Hampshire in New York, I have not
words to thank you for the kind manner in which you
have greeted us. It is but natural for us, who have re
cently left our homes and bid adieu to all the ties which
bind us there, to receive gratefully the kind attentions
which have been manifested during our travels. In
fact, our progress all along the route has been a con
tinued ovation. These manifestations of a free people
show how plainly is the determination to maintain the
Union in all its integrity. But none of these manifes
tations are more grateful than the one to-day. I will
take this beautiful flag, and promise that you will never
THREE MONTHS' TROOP&. 67
have occasion to regret that you gave it to us — that it
never will be tarnished by this regiment, but that every
man will rally to its protection. We know that this
may be no holiday affair ; but we have counted the cost.
It is, as you say, no time to inquire what we are here
for. It is to be determined whether one State, or seven
States, can secede and break up the most glorious gov
ernment ever devised by man. (Loud cheers.) That
flag shall never be dishonored, I can assure you, gentle
men."
The flag was paid for by subscription from the friends
of New Hampshire men in New York City. The
amount of subscription was put at three dollars, and no
greater sum was received from any one person.
A New York paper, in giving an account of the pas
sage of this regiment through that city, said : " Accom
panying the troops were one hundred and sixteen
horses, sixteen baggage wagons, containing tents and
provisions for thirty days, and one hospital wagon.
There were also in attendance sixteen nurses, who took
dinner at the Astor House. The troops were dressed
in a gray uniform, and armed with Springfield muskets
of 1847 pattern. In point of equipage no body of sol
diers was ever better provided for ; and as for fighting
material, they even excelled the Sixty-Ninth (Irish)
regiment of this State."
The burial of Col. Ellsworth, of the New York Fire
Zouaves, who was shot at the Marshall House, Alexan
dria, Ya., on the 24th, when taking down a rebel flag,
occurred on this day, and the funeral procession was so
extended as to baffle repeated attempts to pass through
the city to Jersey ferry, and the regiment was obliged
to stand on the street until its entire length had passed.
The regiment proceeded to Baltimore by railroad, ar
riving there about four o'clock in the afternoon of
Monday, the 27th of Mav. This was the great point of
68 THE GREAT REBELLION.
interest to all as the scene of the first blood shed in the
rebellion. The men disembarked frorrf the cars and
were kept waiting nearly two hours for the baggage
train. Perfect order and quiet prevailed, though the
streets were thronged with citizens. Many words of
cheer were quietly spoken ; water and refreshments
were distributed ; one large flag was stretched across
the street and many small ones were flying from the
windows, and occasionally a lady was seen waving her
handkerchief. With these exceptions the calm was evi
dently that of a spirit under the restraint of fear. The
Manchester Cornet Band, which was attached to the
regiment, played the first national air in that city after
the murderous assault upon the Massachusetts Sixth.
It was "Yankee Doodle," and they played it with a
will, the men of the regiment seeming to enjoy it all
the more for the evident annoyance it occasioned to a
large portion of the bystanders. At a late hour the
regiment marched through the city to the Camden Sta
tion and took the cars for Washington. A crowd was
collected at the depot, and a few faint cheers rose
above the noise and confusion of the departure.
The regiment arrived at Washington at half-past one
o'clock on Tuesday morning, May 28. Early in the
morning the regiment marched up Pennsylvania
Avenue, passing the President's house, and on to Ival-
orama, about two miles out of the city, and went into
camp. Immediately a special messenger arrived from
the President, complimenting Col. Tappan as having
the best appointed regiment that had thus far come in
to Washington. During the day numerous philan
thropic ladies and gentlemen and sanitary committees
visited the camp and inquired after the wants of the
men, proffering services for their relief, and seemed
almost incredulous when told they needed nothing. It
was a novelty for a regiment to appear at Washington
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 69
prepared to take care of themselves, so hastily had the
troops left their homes to rush to the defense of the na
tion capital
"When in camp the religious services consisted uni
formly of singing by the regiment and reading of the
scriptures and prayer by the Chaplain, immediately
after the dress parade. On Sunday there was added a
short address by the Chaplain. While at Kalorama,
very many spectators of all classes, from Washington,
congregated to witness these ceremonies, and among
them were often seen President Lincoln and family.
Just before the religious services on the 1st of June,
firing was heard in the direction of Alexandria, and an
unofficial messenger communicated the intelligence that
an engagement was in progress, and the First New
Hampshire Regiment was to be called out, which cre
ated no little excitement among the men, not one of
whom had ever been under fire, and the worthy Chap
lain had caught something of the infection. A discon
nected portion of his prayer on that occasion has often
been published in such a way as to do that gentleman
great injustice. It was to the effect " That if God could
make it consistent with his purposes concerning us as a
people and a nation, blood-shed and violence might be
averted; but if otherwise, his purpose, justice, liberty
and peace demanded the sacrifice, that He would give to
our soldiers a brave heart, a firm nerve, a steady eye,
and send the missile straight to its mark." The alarm
proved to be a false one and the excitement soon sub
sided.
At seven o'clock on Monday morning, the 10th of
June, the regiment broke camp and joined a brigade
commanded by Col. Charles P. Stone, and marched to
Rockville, nineteen miles. The day was very warm, and
some of the men, overcome by the heat, fell out by the
way, but were helped forward in the wagons and by ofE-
70 THE GREAT REBELLION.
cers who dismounted and placed them upon their horses,
Col. Tappan and the others often giving *ip their horsea
to weary and over-heated privates. The regiment went
into camp upon the Montgomery County Fair Grounds,
a beautiful spot, and named it Camp Lincoln. Here
they made the acquaintance of the New York Ninth, in
this wise : While on the march from Kalorama the
Ninth was behind the New Hampshire First. When
they halted at noon for rest and refreshment, the Ninth
marched first and passed our regiment, at which our
boys were a little piqued, considering it a breach of
etiquette. They occupied the north slope of the Fair
Ground and our regiment the south. At the dress
parade the next day the Ninth came out first and were
looked upon in mute curiosity. The First followed and
did their best, while the Ninth watched them with as
tonishment at their proficiency in drill, and expressed
approbation by frequent cheers. After the parade was
over the First returned to the parade ground and began
vociferously to cheer the Ninth, which compliment was
enthusiastically returned, and for ten minutes the two
were pitted against each other in the exercise of the
vocal organs upon the highest possible pitch, when sud
denly the Ninth vaulted the fence which separated them
and rushed to the area; the First accepted the challenge,
and instantly not less than fifteen hundred soldiers were
shaking hands, embracing each other, shaking the earth
with their cheers and stamping and literally filling the
air with their caps. Such a scene of sinking all preju
dice in the cordial greetings of kindred spirits it is not
the privilege of men often to witness. The most inti
mate friendship ever after prevailed between them, at
tracting the notice of the entire brigade.
The people of Rockville were struck with the utmost
consternation at the appearance of our troops, supposing
that " beauty and booty " was their sole errand. This
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 71
impression was soon dissipated, however, by the kind
and orderly behavior of the men. The men were gen
erally very well behaved and respected the property of
the inhabitants, while there were a few who were much
inclined to find something good to eat, without so much
regard to the superior claims of the owners. A stutter
ing soldier entered a house and asked the good lady to
sell him some pie, who replied, " We don't sell pies to
your kind of soldiers." He coolly drew his pistol, laid
it on the table, sat down beside it and began, Yankee
fashion, to ask many indifferent questions. Finally he
inquired, " Ho-ow-ow long do-does it t-t-take to bu-bu-
build a-a house d-d-down here?" "Wall 'bout three
months, I reckon, if we work right smart." " D-d-does
it? (looking around the room), it wo-wo-wont t-take
three ho-hours t-t-to p-p-pull it d-d-down." His crea
ture wants were soon supplied, and after offering to pay
he bowed himself out with a grateful " t-t-thank you
ma-a-am."
But one Union flag was displayed in the place — show
ing that secession was the prevailing sentiment — and
this was in the yard of Rev. L. S. Russell, rector of the
Episcopal church, and a son of Major Russell, of Boston,
of Revolutionary note. There were a few other Union
families there, and many that professed Union for the
occasion. Court was in session, and one of the soldiers
took a small flag, went into the second story of the
court house, and reaching out of a window, stuck the
staff into a joint of the bricks, where it remained until
the regiment left. It was the occasion of much angry
talk and many threats, but no one dared to touch it.
On the 14th of June the regiment started on the
march to Poolsville. It was reported from Washington
that Harper's Ferry was evacuated by the rebels, and
that they were liable to come down upon the small
72 THE GREAT REBELLION.
bodies of troops stationed as guards along the river.
The march was apparently a perilous «ne, but the ut
most cheerfulness was manifested by the men. The
regiment bivouacked for the night at Darnestown, nine
miles from Rockville, and arrived at Poolsville, nine
miles further, about noon of the 15th. The real object
of this movement proved to be to guard the river against
the rebels who might contemplate crossing. There be
ing a large force of rebels at Leesburg, Va., five miles
inland from Conrad Ferry, fears were entertained that
they would attempt to cross at that point. On the
morning of the 17th, Companies A, C, E, G and I were
sent there under command of Lieut. Col. Whipple.
When within about a mile of the Ferry the rebels
opened fire upon them with rifles, and soon after with
six Ib. cannon, while the detachment of the First Regi
ment had nothing but Springfield muskets. They con
tinued the fire at intervals for an hour. In the afternoon
the enemy opened fire again with rifles and cannon, and
thus continued from time to time through that day and
the day following. On the evening of the 17th Col.
Stone ordered Capt. Gardoer, of the Pennsylvania Rifle
men, with twenty of his company, to the Ferry, who
joined in the fight, firing simultaneously with the boys
of the First Regiment into the smoke of the enemy, the
only indication of their exact position. Here the firing
on both sides ceased. The rebels acknowledged the
loss of one captain and two privates killed and about
twelve wounded. None of our men were hurt, though
several very narrowly escaped.
As soon as it was ascertained that the firing was in
the direction of the Ferry, Col. Tappan started with the
other five companies of the regiment for the scene of
action, soon after which he met a messenger who noti
fied him of the engagement. He was soon, however,
overtaken by an order from Col. Stone, to return and
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 73
guard the camp from an anticipated attack from another
direction. There was some difference of opinion as to
the propriety of sending so many men to the Ferry,
which was Col. Stone's plan, Col. Tappan being of opin
ion that a simple picket would be less likely to invite
an attack, which was not the object in view.
An incident occurred here worthy to be recorded to
the memory of the actress. Mrs. Dr. Brace was sitting
by the Chaplain's tent door when the firing was first
heard. She mounted her horse and rode home, and
immediately wrote the following note to the Captain of
a company of infantry belonging to Poolsville. The
Captain was Union, but most of his men were secesh :
" CAPT. FLETCHER : — Do you fight under the Stars and
Stripes ? If so, up and be doing ! Virginia is firing upon
Maryland! Shall WE stand idly by and let Northern men
protect our homes and firesides ? "
A Miss Susan Dawson, nineteen years of age, of Daw-
sonville, Ya., whose widowed mother's house was ever
a soldier's home, was one day on a visit to her uncle's,
at Poolsville. The uncle being absent a secesh came
to the door and demanded a stand of arms that the
uncle was known to have in his possession. Her aunt
being a timid woman, Susan went to the door and re
fused to give them up. He first attempted to intimi
date her by insolence and threats, but finding her proof
against this kind of tactics, he asked to see the arms.,
when she replied : — " The arms belong to the State of
Maryland, and in due time will be returned to the State
authorities. You can neither have them nor see them,
and the sooner you are off the better." He left without
further parley.
These are perhaps fair samples of the spirit of the
true Union women met with in Maryland during the
74 THE QREA T REBELLION.
first few months of the rebellion. Their boldness and
decision might well have been emulated by many pro
fessed Union men at the North during those days, when
doubt and indecision gave to the rebels courage and
hope.
The following correspondence, showing the state of
feeling in Maryland at that time, is worth a place here :
" DARNESTOWN, June 19, 1861.
"REV. MR. ABBOTT, — Dear Sir: — I learned through
my friend, E. S. Hayes, that you had passed through
Darnestown en route for the D. C., and would return to
day, and concluded I would write you concerning some
information I received on my return from Poolsville on
the same day you arrived at that place. Mr. N. Almutt,
who owns the farm located on each side of Seneca
Creek, which you crossed en route to Poolsville, and
one of our strongest Union men, who has been voting
with the democratic party and owning slaves, and is
one who I know would not misrepresent the conduct
of any one. I stopped at his house on my return, and
he was somewhat desponding. I inquired the cause,
and his reply was : He had enough to discourage the
hope of non-interference on the part of the troops with
our slaves.
" As your regiment was passing by his farm, his farm
hands were plowing corn in a field bordering on the
road, and as the men moved up the road he fol
lowed along with the regiment as far as his house, and
saw several of your men beckon to his servants in the
field and ask them if they did not want to be free, &c.
Now, my dear sir, this is all wrong, and ought to be
stopped.
" God knows I speak from the best motives and with
a view to strengthen the Union feeling. Break down
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 75
the idea of interference, and ultimately save our country,
and render your lives more comfortable and pleasant
while absent from your families.
" I hope you will call the Colonel's attention to this
fact, and oblige
" Your respectful friend and well-wisner,
" JOHN L. DUFIEF,
" Darnestown, Md.
" N". B. May God in his mercy avert this horrible
war, and all learn to respect the laws and the Constitu
tion, and continue as a nation unto the end of time, a
happy, prosperous and united people. Hoping you and
j our friends may return to your families safely,
"Remain yours, &c.,
" J. L. D.
" If convenient should be please to hear from you. D."
"POOLSVILLE, Md., June 21, 1861.
" JOHN L. DUFIEF, ESQ. — My dear sir : — Your favor of
the 19th inst., was duly received and read with great
interest. I admire the frankness with which you speak,
and confide in the spirit and motive by which you are
actuated ; and I assure you that in my reply, the same
frankness, spirit and motive shall be sacredly regarded.
" It seems that your friend's despondency is predi
cated solely on the fact that he ' saw several of our men
beckon to his servants in the field and ask them if they
did not want to be free,' &c. i This,' you say, ' is all
wrong and ought to be stopped.' I fully believe his
statement and agree with you in your conclusion ; and
I assure you that should any of our men be detected in
tampering with the slaves for the purpose of aiding
them to escape, they would meet with severe and mer
ited punishment. We came here for no such purpose,
and no such conduct is, or will be tolerated under any
76 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ordinary circumstances. Whether or not, in a seceding
state, slaves — as property — would be considered, contra
band of war and subject to confiscation, is a question
upon which I have consulted no one, and can give no
opinion. One thing is certain, whatever may be the
sentiment of a part of our regiment, with regard to the
moral right of slavery, we have come here with the in
tention of recognizing the fact of property in slaves and
of respecting the rights of citizens who hold such prop
erty. Now, my dear sir, with this possible exception you
and your friends from the District of Columbia to the
Gulf of Mexico may rest in the utmost security. Not a
slave will be permitted to go one mile or rod with us,
from his master, with our knowledge.
" Now to be a little more definite with regard to the
case you mention, let me say, first, that we have nearly
a thousand men with us, the first enlistment of volun
teers ; and can any rational man expect or even demand
that there should be no rogues among them who would
do such a thing merely for mischief? I do not know of
one and yet there may be, and if so, should that discour
age Union men here ? or should the whole regiment be
held responsible for it, and their motive be impugned
for it ?
" Again. If you and your friend were as well ac
quainted with Yankee character as I am, you would be
more amused than alarmed at such questioning. We
are constitutionally and hereditarily addicted to asking
questions, and the propensity to gratify curiosity is as
irresistible as the current of a mighty river. Hence the
same question has always been asked by northerners,
both pro-slavery and anti-slavery, in traveling south. It
is simply a wish to know for themselves what they learn
by testimony. I feel the same curiosity myself, though
I have wholly restrained it, on account of the extreme
sensitiveness of the people just at this time. I very
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 77
seriously doubt whether a man in our company had any
other motive in the questions they asked.
" I thought when I left home, and every day's march
and every day's residence here confirm the opinion, that
a more intimate social acquaintance of the people North
and South will do more than all the bayonets in the
country to harmonize feeling and effect a desirable and
permanent peace as it respects the masses. When they
are right, all is right. God knows that such a peace is
the one great desire of the masses of the North, and I
doubt not the same is true of the South also.
" Our arms are not taken up for the purpose of ' inva
sion,' or for * blotting out the South,' but simply to
stand by and defend the government and the glorious
old flag, which have been assailed. Let us now, my
dear sir, believe each other, trust each other, be charit
able towards each other and stand shoulder to shoulder
in the cause upon the success of which depend our se
curity, our prosperity and the value of all our prized
institutions. Let us devoutly pray to the God of na
tions that right and justice may prevail and peace be
speedily restored.
" I designed to say in another connection that slaves
are daily sent into camp on business whose masters
have repeatedly expressed the utmost confidence in our
men. And slaves are all the time at work in a field ad
joining our camp, and no fears are expressed, because,
I firmly believe, no occasion for fear is given.
" Let me say in conclusion, that I cannot hold myself
bound to reply to letters upon this subject, because we do
not propose any such interference as is suggested; but
knowing the kind spirit in which you write I am very
happy to respond, and shall be happy to acknowledge any
further correspondence with you. I have written this in
great haste, that it may go by a messenger about leav-
78 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ing, and you are at liberty to make such honorable use
of it as you please.
" Respectfully your friend and brother,
" S. G. ABBOTT,
" Chap. 1st K H. Vol. M."
The regiment remained at Poolsville twenty-one days,
and guarded about fifteen miles of the river, night and
day, besides doing much guard and picket duty in other
directions. For days at a time they had not less than
twenty miles of sentinels, so near to each other that the
discharge of a musket would in a few minutes alarm
every man in the regiraent.
As has been remarked, the men of this regiment gen
erally respected the rights and property of the inhabit
ants in the vicinity of their camp, though there were
occasional complaints made to the Colonel of their
depredations. One morning a citizen entered a com
plaint, and the Colonel soon after met a squad of the
boys who he suspected might have been concerned in
the appropriation of certain fowls which were missing,
and told them with apparent seriousness that they had
got themselves into trouble. " Why," said one of them,
" what is the trouble ? " " Mr. A. says he has lost eleven
geese." " Eleven geese ! did he say any thing about
his pigs ? " This was a little too much for the Colonel's
gravity, and he passed on with a snuff and a laugh that
any one would appreciate who has seen him. and nobody
else can.
One day the Staff found upon the dinner-table a roast
pig, of which they all ate freely, asking no questions.
Soon after all were sick except the Chaplain, whose
escape the others jocosely attributed to the fact that he
had become used to such food ; whereupon he retorted
that it was not so, but because he was not aware that
the pig was stolen, while they were.
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 79
The regiment acquired and retained the reputation
through its division of the army for great fearlessness
and daring, and passed everywhere by the sobriquet
of " The NQW Hampshire Wild Cats." It was no un
common thing for them to meet rebel pickets midway
of the river by swimming or fording, drink each other's
health, mutually curse the war, and return to duty.
H. M. Prescott, of Bristol, swam across the river, un
moored a boat, and pushed it before him till he thought
it safe to get in. He was hardly seated before a rebel
ball passed between his arm and side, glanced upon the
side of the boat, spent itself in the stern, and rolled
back to his feet, whereupon he jumped into the water
and pushed the boat across. Such incidents were not
infrequent during this encampment.
On the 3d of July that portion of the regiment which
was stationed at Conrad Ferry, broke camp and marched
eight miles to the mouth of the Monocacy, a branch of
the Potomac, where they spent the Fourth. That part
of the regiment which was stationed at Edward's Ferry,
five miles below Conrad, arrived at Monocacy on the
morning of the 5th, just in season to join the advance
before marching to Point of Rocks, a dirty little secesh
village, six miles from Monocacy. The day before their
arrival the proprietor of the St. Charles Hotel had re
fused Col. Stone entertainment, whereupon he marched
up a company of men, took military possession and
run the hotel on his own account. Here the men saw
the cars for the first time since leaving Washington.
On the 6th of July a detachment, under command of
Col. Tappan, moved by cars to Sandy Hook, twelve
miles, opposite Harper's Ferry, and in the night orders
were received to send all the baggage that could be
spared to Frederick, leave the tents behind in charge
of a guard, and prepare for rapid movements. At noon
80 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
on the 7th the reserve was sent up by cars to Sandy
Hook. It was Col. Stone's design to *cross the river
and take possession of Harper's Ferry, believing that
the best base of operations for that department. Be
fore the movement was made, however, a messenger
was sent down the river from Gen. Patterson with
orders to advance to Williamsport and join him in the
pursuit of Johnston.
At 7 o'clock, P. M., they marched again, keeping the
Maryland side of the river, and arrived at Sharpsburg,
twelve miles, at two o'clock on the morning of the 7th,
and at Williamsport, twelve miles further, in the after
noon, immediately forded the river, and trod for the
first time the sacred soil of Virginia. Here they again
joined the New York Ninth and other regiments of the
brigade.
At four o'clock on the morning of the 8th of July the
entire command of Col. Stone marched for Martinsburer,
O "
twelve miles, arriving there at noon, and joined the
command of Gen. Patterson, between Williamsport
and Martin sburg. Patterson had his running fight
with Johnston, called the battle of Falling Waters, from
a small but very rapid brook of pure cold water. The
prostrate fences, torn and prostrate trees, riddled and
demolished houses and fresh graves by the road side,
indicated the field of action. A rebel ball crashed
into the corner of the roof of a house, arid through
the aperture was run up the Union flag.
About sixteen thousand troops were concentrated here,
and it was the design to march the following day in pur
suit of Johnston, but it was subsequently determined
to postpone the march until further orders, though
it was then regarded of great importance to prevent
him from marching from Winchester to re-enforce the
army at Manassas. Gen. Patterson's action in this
matter was a mystery, and after a thorough investiga-
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 81
tion of the circumstances he was superseded by Gen.
1ST. P. Banks, of Massachusetts.
The clothes of the men had become very much worn
and they were almost shoeless. What new pants they
had were distributed, but not a pair of shoes could be
obtained. Necessity is the mother of invention. Lieut.
George W. Colbath, of Dover, was detailed to head the
force; leather, thread, awls and hammers were ob
tained ; pegs were made with knives, and soon several
shoemaker's shops were extemporized and in full opera
tion in the grove where the regiment was encamped;
the old shoes were mended, and the men's feet thus
made comfortable for the time.
The boys were obliged to make all sorts of shifts to
cover their nakedness. Three of them got a sutler's
sign, painted upon cotton cloth — " Pies and Cakes,"
divided it into three parts, and patched the seats of
their pantaloons with it. Their positions were together
in the line, and when on parade it read from right to
left of the company, " PIES AND CAKES," to the no small
amusement of the regiment.
Another man patched the seat of his pantaloons with
the discarded covering of a ham, plainly marked in cir
cular form, " SUGAR-CURED HAMS, FOR FAMILY USE."
An institution of the regiment, and indeed of the
army, was the fife-major, Francis H. Pike, of Man
chester. Any attempt to describe his personal appear
ance would be futile. He could only be appreciated
after having been seen, in full uniform, baton in hand,
at the head of the regiment. Those who never saw
him thus have yet to see a fife-major. He had left his
gaudy uniform at Point of Rocks and had on only a
fatigue cap and blouse. Walking up to the hotel door,
where a guard was stationed with strict orders to let
none pass in but commissioned officers, he was sud-
82 THE GREAT REBELLION.
denly brought to a halt. Drawing himself up to his
full height and looking down upon tlie sentinel with
the utmost indignation, he calmly, but with great
authority asked — "Do you know who I am, sir?"
The sentinel felt the majesty of his speech and meekly
inquired, " Are you an officer?" "What do I look
like, sir?" replied the indignant fife-major. "Pass,"
was the laconic answer.
On Monday, July 15, at five o'clock in the morning,
the regiment with the rest of the division under Gen.
Patterson — consisting of twenty-seven regiments and
six hundred wagons — were on the march, and all hearts
were fired with enthusiasm when they found themselves
on the road to "Winchester. The rebels were scattered
along the road in small companies, but fled on the ap
proach of the Union army. A few cannon shots were
occasionally exchanged, but no one was injured. They
arrived at Bunker Hill, ten miles from Martinsburg,
about two o'clock, P. M., and encamped on ground just
vacated by the rebels, a small force of whom retreated
from Bunker Hill with the utmost haste. They were
now within fifteen miles of Winchester, and were
elated with the expectation of being led next morning
to that place, either to engage the enemy or to inter
cept and prevent him from re-enforcing the army at
Manassas.
The day was passed in a feeble reconnoisance in the
direction of Winchester, with no results. The next
morning, the 17th, at day light, instead of advancing
on Winchester, a retreat to Charlestown, twelve miles,
was commenced. It now became quite evident that
there was no design on the part of Gen. Patterson to
meet the enemy. The army marched into the village
of Charlestown about noon, taking the people by sur
prise. The men were discouraged and demoralized.
THREE MONTHS' TROOPS. 83
They had several times expected to meet the rebels,
and had as often been disappointed, which they charged
upon Gen. Patterson.
Charlestown was a place of more than ordinary inter
est to the troops as the scene of John Brown's imprison
ment, trial and execution. The court house, jail and
the site of the gallows, were visited by thousands, and
anything that could be gathered in the form of relics,
was carried away.
On the night of the 18th, Capt. Kelley's company,
while on picket, captured a horse and carriage with two
men. They also arrested two negroes at different times,
who proved to belong to the same master, and both
told the same story, as follows : Their master was in
the rebel army ; their overseer, who lived two miles
out of the village, was captain of a company of local
militia. On the approach of our arrny he disbanded
the company; secreted their arms under the eaves of
the Court House ; hid his uniform, and went home. A
report was made in the morning at head-quarters and a
search was ordered. Lieut. Nettleton, of Co. D, being
that day Lieutenant of the guard, commenced the search
in the attic, but found nothing, when he was informed
by a citizen that he helped bury the arms in the cellar
of the Court House, whereupon Lieut. Kettleton set a
squad of the Massachusetts Twelfth to digging, Capt.
Barton being present and assisting. Forty-three stand
of arms were found, which were carried away by the
Massachusetts Twelfth, who claimed the credit of the
discovery. All the County records, stationery, &c.,
were found here, evidently buried in great haste. Lieut.
Nettleton, with a squad of men, surrounded a house and
arrested a rebel Lieutenant and his accomplices, secur
ing their arms.
On the night of the 20th the regiment received the
first information of fighting at Manassas, and in the
84 THE GREAT REBELLION.
night received orders to cook one day's rations. On
the morning of the 21st, the day of the battle of Bull
Hun, the division marched to Harper's Ferry, six miles,
and encamped on Bolivar Hights. Before marching
from Charlestown, Col. Stone gave orders to his com
mand that any man stealing from the citizens should
have his head shaved and be drummed out of the camp,
as the least punishment. Said he, " I never was in or
saw an army that conducted as this did at Bunker Hill,
the New Hampshire First excepted."
Gen. N. P. Banks was appointed to supersede Gen.
Patterson, and arrived on the night of the 24th and as
sumed the command, much to the gratification of offi
cers and men, all of whom had looked upon the latter
with distrust for some weeks. The change of cam-
maiulers inspired the men with new spirit and confi
dence in the ultimate success of the cause for which
they had been- called from the peaceful walks of life.
On the 28th the First Regiment moved three miles to
Sandy Hook, where they went into camp and remained
until the 2d of August, when, their term of enlistment
having expired, they embarked on board the cars for
New Hampshire. They were paid, mustered out of
service and discharged at Concord on the 12th of
August, 1861.
The casualties in the regiment were as follows :
Discharged before leaving the State, 3
Discharged by reason of disability, 13
Discharged by court-marshal, 2
Deaths from different causes, 4
Captured by the enemy, 5
Transferred to 2d N. II. Regiment, 1
Deserted, 7
Total, 35
THREE MONTHS' TR001S. 80
Although the First New Hamsphire Regiment did
not have the privilege of inscribing any pitched battles
upon their banner — which was no fault of their's — they
yet rendered very arduous and important service to
the country, at a time when to hesitate was to be lost,
and never shirked any duty which they were called to
perform, or which the imperiled country required at
their hands. Many, if not most, of the men of this sub
sequently re-enlisted and. served in other New Hamp
shire regiments with honor and distinction. Lieut.
Col. Whipple was made Colonel of the Fourth; Major
Stevens was Colonel of the Thirteenth; Adjutant Fd-
lows was Colonel of the Third, and also of the Ninth ;
Capt. Bell was Colonel of the Fourth on the resignation
of Col. Whipple; Capt. Barton was Lieut. Colonel of
the Heavy Artillery ; Quartermaster Batchelder served
in the Army of the Potomac as Brigade and Division
Quartermaster, with honor to the State ; Surgeon
Crosby — who unlike many surgeons in the army then
and subsequently, knew and kindly, carefully and faith
fully administered to the needs of the men, and will
ever be remembered with great respect — rendered most
valuable service in the Army of the Potomac. Chap
lain Abbott, than whom no regiment ever had a more
patriotic, faithful and industrious one, returned to his
high calling and has labored consistently for the salva
tion of the souls of men. He compiled a small book,
containing thirty or forty hymns, for the use of his regi
ment, which was the first one of its kind in the army.
Capt. Sturtevant was Major of the Fifth Regiment and
was killed at the battle of Fredericksburg ; Capt. Drew
was Lieut. Colonel of the Fourth ; Lieut. Sawyer was
Major of the Fourth; Lieut. Fuller was Adjutant of
the Fourth ; Capt. Kelley was afterwards Brigade Quar
termaster ; Captains Greenleaf and Sleeper, and Lieuts.
Clough and Wallace were Captains in the Fourth;
86 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Lieut. Israel L. Drew was First Lieut, in the Fourth,
and died at Annapolis; Fife-Major Pike was Principal
Musician in the Fourth. Other commissioned and non
commissioned officers and privates served in different
organizations, with the ever varying fortunes of war.
New Hampshire has many reasons for pride in its
First Regiment and the officers and men who com
posed it.
ACTION OF THE STATE. 87
ACTION OF THE STATE.
THE annual session of the Legislature commenced at
Concord on the 5th of June, 1861. On the 6th Gov
ernor Goodwin delivered a valedictory address, which
contained the following paragraphs :
" Since the last session of the General Court a revolu
tion against the progress of civilization and the liberties
of the people has been attempted in our country. This
revolution has been for years in preparation, and derives
its principal strength from the efforts and influence of
men holding place under the General Government, who
have conspired to overthrow that Constitution which it
was their solemn and imperative duty to uphold. This
gigantic conspiracy against liberty and law developed
during the past winter a formidable organization for
the destruction of the best government which good
men ever formed; against which bad men ever con
spired; and that our government, controlled as it has
been to a great extent by its enemies, has not been en
tirely overthrown, is to be attributed to the self-adjusting
power of free institutions, and the virtues and energies
of a free people.
" While it was yet uncertain how far this rebellion
would extend, and with an earnest desire that nothing
which honorable men could either ask or grant should
be left untried, to preserve a Union consecrated by so
many hallowed memories, and hitherto attended by
such unexampled prosperity, I, in compliance with the
unanimous recommendation of our delegation in Con-
88 THE GREAT REBELLION.
gress, and in accordance with my own views of duty,
requested the Hon. Amos Tuck, the Bfen. Levi Cham
berlain, and the Hon. Asa Fowler to attend as Commis
sioners for this State, the Convention which assembled
at Washington on the 4th of February last, upon the
recommendation of the State of Virginia.
" On the loth of April last I received by telegraph,
through the War Department, a requisition from the
President of the United States, calling for one regiment
from this State for three months' service, to be em
ployed in suppressing the rebellion against the laws of
the General Government.
" This requisition was followed by an intimation that
another regiment might soon be required. The state
of our militia organization was such that I could not,
by a military order, fulfill the constitutional obligations
of the State. Upon reflection, I came to the conclusion
that I could meet this call with less delay and less ex
pense by a voluntary enlistment, than by any other
method, and this course was adopted. The prompt and
liberal manner in which our banks and citizens placed
a large amount of money at my disposal, removed the
necessity of convening a special session of the Legislature.
" So unanimous was our whole population in resist
ing this attempt to overthrow the Constitution and lib
erties of the people, that the second regiment was
filled as readily as the first. While the second regi
ment was organizing, and after the appointment of Col.
T. P. Pierce, of Manchester, to its command, I received
information from the War Department that it was the
desire of the government that all future enlistments
should be made for ' three years, or during the war,'
and that men enlisted for three months, refusing to en
list for the war, be discharged. In accordance with this
' O
suggestion I changed the term of enlistment, and over
five hundred of those who had enlisted for three months
ACTION OF THE STATE. 89
re-enlisted for three years, and the entire regiment of
one thousand and forty-six men was promptly made up.
" Col. Pierce, whom I esteem a valuable officer, in
consequence of the change in the term of service, hav
ing resigned his command, the Hon. Oilman Marston
has heen appointed to his place. This regiment has
also been mustered into the service of the United States
by Major Eastman, of the United States army, and is
under drill at Portsmouth. It will leave in a few days for
Washington. So generously have our patriotic citizens
responded to the call of the country, that many of the
three months men, left at Fort Constitution, and others
who have enlisted for three years but are not required
to complete the second regiment, will form a nucleus for
a third regiment, the enrollment of which can be readily
accomplished if required ; otherwise they will serve to
give efficiency to the re-organization of the State militia.
A portion of the three months recruits has been placed
by Maj. Gen. Wool, at my suggestion, in Fort Constitu
tion, for the defense of the harbor of Portsmouth, and
by authority of Gen. Wool and the Secretary' of the
Navy, I have put that fort in a condition of defense.
" A rifle company, composed principally of Concord
young men, of high character and sobriety, under com
mand of Capt. Griffin, of Concord, were desirous of
being armed with Sharp's rifles, to fit them as skirm
ishers to the Second Regiment. The citizens of Con
cord, together with many members of the company,
subscribed an amount sufficient to pay for these rifles,
provided the State would not assume the expense, and
the arms have been furnished with the above under
standing. I am assured that the United States will
ultimately pay for them. It is for you to decide
whether the State will accept the responsibility for the
present, or whether it will rest with the patriotic sub
scribers.
90 THE GREAT REBELLION.
" I communicate herewith a circular from the Hon.
Simon Cameron, Secretary of War, ^requesting that
the several States will keep regiments enlisted and un
der drill, in their respective States, and prepared for
service, upon call, and that when called into service of
the United States, their places may be supplied by new
enlistments."
The Peace Conference, referred to in Gov. Goodwin's
address, assembled at Washington on the 4th of Feb
ruary, 1861 — one month before the inauguration of
President Lincoln. Twenty states were represented,
thirteen of which were free, and seven were slave states.
The extreme South was resolved upon breaking up the
Government, and establishing in its stead a slavehold-
ing oligarchy, and they refused to take any part in the
Peace Conference, notwithstanding the proposition for
it came from the slaveholding State of Virginia. Ex-
President John Tyler, of Virginia was made chairman.
On motion of James Gurthrie, of Kentucky, a com
mittee of one from each State was appointed by the
chair, on the nomination of the Commissioners thereof,
to whom was referred the resolution of the State of Vir
ginia. Hon. Asa Fowler was appointed on the part
of New Hampshire. The Conference was in session
twenty-one days, and came to the following result,
which was published to the world as the basis for the
settlement of all national differences :
1. That Congress shall never interfere with slavery in
the District of Columbia, over which, by the Constitu
tion, Congress held exclusive jurisdiction, without the
consent of the slaveholding State of Maryland, and the
consent of the slaveholders of the District.
2. That Congress shall not forbid slaveholders from
bringing their slaves to Washington, nor abolish
ACTION OF THE STATE. 91
slavery in any of the dockyards, fortresses, or territories
under the jurisdiction of the United States, where
slavery then existed.
3. That Congress should not prohibit, and should so
amend the Constitution, that the States should not pro
hibit, the transportation of slaves from and through any
of the States and Territories, where slavery then ex
isted either by law or usage.
The only concession exacted from the South was, that
they should agree to the suppression of the slave trade,
which was prohibited by Congress years before as pi
racy; that the District of Columbia should not be used
as a slave market, which also had been forbidden by a
previous compromise ; and that slavery should be pro
hibited in all the territory north of the parallel of .36°
30' north latitude.
Eleven states voted in favor and seven against these
peace propositions, while two were divided in their vote.
They were reported to Congress, and adopted in the
House by 133 yeas to 65 nays, to be recommended to
the people, but have never been heard of since. The
South meant separation, and nothing else, and acted
consistently with that idea.
At the close of Gov. Goodwin's address, Nathaniel S.
Berry, of Hebron, having been elected Governor in
March, appeared, accepted the office, took the oaths
prescribed by the Constitution, and was declared by
Herman Foster, of Manchester, President of the Senate,
Governor for the ensuing political year. He delivered
his annual address, from which the following, relating
to the rebellion, is extracted :
" The seizure of forts, arsenals, mints and public
property of the Union, and attacks on its flag, and
the usurpation of powers of the General Government
which we have recently witnessed, are high-handed acts
92 THE GREAT REBELLION.
of treason, without any justification, and based on the
most groundless and frivolous pretenses. No alegation
or excuse has been given, or can be given, to justify the
enormity of the offenses committed. On this ground
our people stand as one man.
" The masses of the citizens of the different States
may not be holden responsible for these acts of treason
and rebellion, but their leaders must and will be so
holden by the true men of this country and the indig
nant sentiment of the civilized world. The crimes
committed against us, against the memory and labors
of our fathers, and the common and best interests of
humanity, we cannot excuse or tolerate.
" We unite in the sentiments of Washington, of Web
ster, and of Jackson, as to the infinite moment of our
National Union to the collective and universal happi
ness of the American people; that we can have but
6 one country, one Constitution and one destiny ; ' and
that by every hazard and by every sacrifice, the ' Union
must be preserved.'
" With the country divided into separate govern
ments, having long lines of border communications, we
should be subject to continued strife; we could not live
in peace as independent adjoining communities. The
way of our fathers under the Constitution, rigidly ad
hered to by all sections, in its true force and spirit, is
the only sure way of national prosperity.
" The position taken by our government in the recent
correspondence with the French Minister, is the only
ground upon which we can stand : ' That there is not
now, nor has there been, nor will there be, any, the
least idea existing in this government of suffering a dis
solution of this Union to take place in any way what
ever.'
" Under this enunciation of principles, the open,
deadly, flagrant war which is now waged against the
~QJ}dJvGeo. Z. "Ferin
? < ^
NA r HAN IE L S . B E R. H
Governor of Xew Hampshire 1861
ACTION OF THE STATE. 93
government of the United States, to compel acquies
cence in the dismemberment of the Union, will cease
and come to an end, when the Constitution is main
tained and enforced, as under the better days of the
Republic, under Washington and Adams, Jefferson and
Jackson, and not till then. But in this view of our condi
tion we have a high and important duty to discharge.
" Most of the loyal States of this Union have already
holclen special sessions of their Legislatures, to act on the
immediate necessities of the crisis. The regular ses
sion of our Legislature was so near at hand, that a
special session was not deemed essential with us ;
especially considering the prompt and efficient
measures taken by my predecessor. The Legislature
being now assembled, there is a pressing necessity for
immediate attention to those measures that shall aid
the General Government in resisting the rebellion
now waged against our institutions.
" £To northern State has placed less than a million of
dollars at the command of the General Government, in
view of the present emergency of the country, and I
trust New Hampshire will not be behind her sister
States in this respect, and that whatever we may do
may be done with perfect unanimity.
" In conclusion, permit me to recur to the great
struggle with treason and rebellion, in which our coun
try is now engaged. It is a rebellion against the most
beneficent government ever established upon earth. It
threatens with extinguishment our Republic, which has
been, and under God will continue to be, the light of
nations. In open defiance of the great principle that
the final supremacy of the will of the majority, consti
tutionally expressed, upon which the stability of repub
lican governments depend, this flagrant rebellion has
been commenced. It is evidently the purpose of the
rebel leaders to substitute, for the rule of the majority,
94 THE GREAT REBELLION.
the rule of the minority, with the natural result of
anarchy or despotism.
" The deep and holy enthusiasm with which the peo
ple of the loyal States have responded to the call of the
government for military aid to put down the rebellion
and crush out treason, can leave no douht of the final
result of the struggle. Never in the history of the
world was there witnessed a prouder spectacle than the
loyal patriotism which was aroused in the land by the
guns of Sumter. Party spirit was hushed, and twenty
millions of freemen, with one accord, joined hands in
solemn pledge that the Union, Constitution and Gov
ernment shall be maintained.
" The result of the conflict will be the convincing of
the world that a republican government can and will be
sustained. It may be that our country must be shaken
from center to circumference by the mighty struggle ;
that liberty must be again baptized in blood; but the
principles upon which the republic was founded will be
vindicated and made permanent ; the Constitution will
be sustained ; the constitutional rights of all American
citizens, in all the States, will receive new guarantees ;
the freedom of speech and of the press every where in
our land will be effectually secured, and the govern
ment will come forth purified and strengthened.
" We acknowledge the dependence of all rulers and
states on Him by whom all government is ordained.
We cannot believe that He who was the God of our
fathers, and under whose protecting care our country
has risen from feebleness to strength, will permit the
great experiment of free government to fail, or come
short of the ultimate complete security of our greatness
and happiness as a united people."
At an early stage of the session a bill was introduced
in the Legislature entitled " An Act to aid in the de-
ACTION OF THE STATE. 95
fense of the country," which, after much discussion and
strenuous opposition from a portion of the members,
was passed, as follows :
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives,
in General Court convened :
SECTION 1. All payments and expenditures made by
the Governor and Council, or by their authority an I
direction, in order to furnish troops from this State for
the defense of the United States, or for enlisting, arm
ing, equipping, disciplining, maintaining or transport
ing said troops, or in any way connected therewith, are
hereby approved, ratified and confirmed.
SEC. 2. In order to answer any call for troops from
this State that has been or may be made by the Presi
dent of the United States, or by his sanction and au
thority, the Governor, with the advice and consent of
the Council, is hereby vested with full power and
authority to take such measures as may be deemed best,
fbr the enlisting, arming, equipping, disciplining, main
taining and transporting such military force of this State
as in his judgment may be needed for defending and
maintaining, in its full integrity, the authority of the
government of the United States, and the constitution
and the laws thereof; and to this end he may, with the
advice and consent of the Council, appoint all needful
officers and agents, and may fix their rank and pay;
provided that at no one time more than two regiments
shall be enlisted in addition to those that shall have
been already mustered into the service of the United
States.
SEC. 3. The Governor, with the advice and consent
of the Council, is hereby authorized to pay from the
money appropriated by this act, any of the troops of
this State which have been or may be mustered into
the service of the United States, during the whole or any
96 THE GREA T R EBELLION.
part of the time of such service; and the Governor,
with the advice and consent of the Ccruncil, is hereby
authorized and empowered to negotiate, adjust and set
tle all questions, accounts, matters and things, between
this State and the United States, in any way arising
from or growing out of the contracts and expenditures
mentioned in this act, or out of any contracts or ex
penditures which may be made for the public defense
or the payment of troops.
SEC. 4. For the purpose of meeting the expenses
already incurred, or any that may be incurred under this
act, or any other act to provide for the defense of the
country, or for maintaining the military force of this
State, while engaged therein, the Treasurer of this State
is hereby authorized, under the sanction of the Gov
ernor, with the advice and consent of the Council, to
issue bonds or certificates of debt, in the name and on
behalf of this State, to an amount not exceeding one
million dollars. Said bonds shall bear interest not ex
ceeding six per cent, per annum, payable semi-annually,
on the first days of January and July, in each year, and
may be issued at such times and in sums of such amount
as shall be fixed by the Governor and Council. All
such bonds shall have interest warrants or coupons at
tached thereto, signed by the Treasurer; and said bonds
and coupons shall be made payable at the Suffolk Bank,
Boston. Said bonds or certificates of debt shall be re
deemable in not less than five or more than twenty
years from the first day of July, A. D. 1861, and not
more than one hundred thousand dollars shall be re
deemable in 'any one year. Said bonds shall be counter
signed by the Governor, and shall be deemed a pledge
of the faith and credit of the State. The Secretary of
State shall keep a record of all the bonds countersigned
by the Governor, in which shall be set down the num
ber and amount of each bond so countersigned; the time
ACTION OF THE STATE. 97
of such countersigning ; the time when such bond shall
be payable ; the name of the person to whom said bond
may be delivered, and the date of such delivery. The
Treasurer may, from time to time, under the direction
of the Governor and Council, dispose of so much of the
same as shall be required, and for that purpose shall ad
vertise, at any time, for proposals for so much as may
be needed. And said Treasurer shall keep a record of
each bond disposed of by him, which shall contain the
name of the person to whom each bond may be sold,
and the number thereof, the amount received by him
therefor, the date of such sale, and the time of the pay
ment therefor.
SEC. 5. This act shall be in force from and after its
passage.
Approved July 3, 1861.
This act passed the House by yeas 169, nays 94 ; and
the Senate by yeas 10, nays 2.
Harry Bingham, of Littleton, presented in the House,
a protest to the passage of this act, signed by himself
and ninety other members, with the following reasons
therefor :
1. Because, the bill compels us to approve, ratify and
confirm " All payments made by the Governor and
Council, or by their authority and direction, in order to
furnish troops from the State for the defense of the United
States, or for enlisting, arming, equipping, disciplining,
maintaining or transporting said troops, or in any way
connected therewith;" of the nature, extent, validity
and equity of which we know so little as to be entirely
unable to form any definite judgment relative thereto,
and because, from any information communicated to
this House, we can not assure ourselves or our constitu
ents that it would be safe and proper for us thus to ap
prove, ratify- and confirm.
98 THE GREAT REBELLION.
2. Because, by the provisions of this bill, the power to
consider and determine what appropriations are neces
sary, and what disposition has been and shall be made
of the money of the people, how and by what agents
disbursed, and in what manner accounted for, is taken
from the representatives of the people, to whom such
power constitutionally belongs, and surrendered to the
executive branch of the government.
3. Because we can not permit transactions of any
branch of the government to be sealed up from the
eyes of the people, or to be placed beyond their power
to examine, inspect, and judge.
4. Because we can not regard the action of this House,
in the rejection of the amendments proposed to the bill,
as other than the assurance that the present war may
be waged by unlawful means, for conquest, subjugation,
national consolidation, and the extinguishment of State
sovereignties, and we are unalterably opposed to the
attainment, by any means, of such objects.
The protestants in their document disavowed all con
siderations and motives of a partisan character, and
claimed to act only for the rights and interests of the
people, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Another act was passed authorizing cities and towns
to aid the families of volunteers, and for other purposes,
as follows :
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in
General Court convened, as follows :
SECTION 1. That any city or town may raise money
by taxation, or otherwise, and, if necessary, apply the
same under the direction of the mayor and aldermen of
such city, or a committee by them appointed for that pur
pose, or of the selectmen of such town, or a committee
chosen at any meeting duly held for that purpose, for
the aid of the wife, and of the children Under sixteen
ACTION OF THE STATE. 99
years of age, of any inhabitant of such city or town
who, as a member of the volunteer or enrolled militia
of this State, may have been mustered into, or enlisted
in the service of the United States, and for each parent
01* child of such inhabitant, who, at the time of his en
listment, was dependent on him for support : Provided,
such persons are indigent, and stand in need of such
relief; and no disabilities of any kind whatever shall be
created by reason of aid so furnished and received.
SEC. 2. Any city or town may raise money, by vote,
to defray any expense already incurred, or to carry out
and fulfill any contract heretofore made with or in be
half of any of its inhabitants, or their families or de
pendents, which inhabitants may have been called or
enlisted into the service of the United States; but all
existing contracts between any town or city, and any
of its inhabitants, or their families or dependents, shall
terminate in ninety days from the date of such contract,
or the date of such inhabitants' enlistment, if subsequent
to such contract and before the passage of this act.
SEC. 3. Of the sums paid or applied by any city or
town for the support of the family or dependents of any
inhabitant who imiy be actually engaged in the service
of the United States, as provided in the first section of
this act, there shall be annually reimbursed from the
treasury of the State, to such city or town, a sum not
exceeding one dollar per week for the wife, and one
dollar per week for each child or parent of such inhabit
ant, who, at the time of his being called or enlisting in
to the service of the United States, was dependent upon
him for support : Provided, that the whole sum so reim
bursed shall not exceed twelve dollars per month for all
the persons named in this section so dependent upon
any such inhabitant.
SEC. 4. No reimbursement shall be allowed from the
State treasury to any city or town, as provided in the
100 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
preceding section, until a full report, certified and
sworn to by a majority of the selectmen or committee
of such town, and by the mayor and a majority of the
aldermen of such city, containing a statement of the
names and service of the inhabitants of such city or
town, whose families or dependents have been assisted,
as provided in the first section of this act; and the
names of the persons assisted, and the relations which
such persons severally bear to such inhabitants respec
tively, and the sums paid to or for the support of each
person, shall have been made to the Treasurer of the
State, and carefully examined and approved by him.
SEC. 5. A statement, certified and sworn to by a ma
jority of the board of selectmen of any town, or by the
mayor and a majority of the aldermen of any city, shall
be made to the State Treasurer on or before the first
"Wednesday of June annually, of the full amount due
such town or city for aid furnished in accordance with
the provisions of this act.
SEC. 6. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved July 4, 1861.
The following resolutions passed* both branches of
the Legislature, unanimously :
Resolved by the Senate and House Representatives of the
State of New Hampshire in General Court convened : That
the contest now existing between the Government and
the disloyal people that have commenced an unjustifiable
and treasonable war upon its constitutional authority,
should be regarded by all loyal men not as a sectional
war, not an anti-slavery war, nor a war of conquest and
subjugation, but simply and solely a war for the main
tenance of the Government, the suppression of rebellion,
and the preservation of the magna charta of our liberty
and national unity.
ACTION OF THE STATE. 101
Resolved, That the State of New Hampshire pledges
her resources for the integrity of the Union, for the
support of the Constitution, and for the enforcement of
the laws of the General Government.
Resolved, That the Constitution is the supreme law of
the land, and that no State has the right to secede
therefrom and dissolve the Union which that Constitu
tion was made to secure.
Resolved, That the duty of the General Government
to suppress all attempts to dissolve the Union is impera
tive, and can not be evaded.
Resolved, That neither the President nor Congress
can constitutionally entertain any proposition which
has for its ohject the dismemberment of the Govern
ment or the dissolution of the Union.
Resolved, That in the lan^uasre of Andrew Jackson,
O O '
" The Federal Union must be preserved."
Resolved, That the Secretary of the State be directed
to send copies of these resolutions to the President of
the United States, the presiding officer of each House
of Congress, the Governors of the several States, and
each Senator and Representative of this State in Con
gress.
Approved July 4, 1861.
Resolutions were unanimously passed by the Legisla
ture thanking the Sons of New Hampshire in New York
and Boston, and the citizens of Worcester, Mass., for
their attentions to the First and Second New Hamp
shire Regiments.
The Executive Council, on whom, with the Governor,
was imposed the duty of enlisting, arming, equipping
and holding subject to orders from the War Depart
ment troops from the State, were R. P. J. Tenney, of
Pittsfield ; Daniel Sawyer, of Alton ; Moody Currier,
of Manchester ; Charles F. Brooks, of Westmoreland,
102 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and Denison R. Burnham, of Plymoutli. Allen Tenney,
of Concord, was Secretary of State, and*Peter Sanborn,
of Concord, State Treasurer, — chosen by the Legisla
ture. Joseph C. Abbott, of Manchester, having r*~
signed, Ex-Governor Anthony Colby, of New London,
was appointed by the Governor and Council, Adjutant
and Inspector-General, in June, 1861.
Ladies organized sanitary aid societies in almost
every considerable town in the State, and furnished the
men who enlisted with flannel underclothing and many
other articles for their health and comfort, not supplied
by the government; and sent to the army hospitals
beds, bedding, clothing, bandages, wines, jellies, dried
fruits, and indeed every thing needed for the sick and
wounded soldiers. They continued their labors and
good offices, with efficiency and system, without inter
mission, throughout the war, and did much to add to
the comfort of soldiers' families during the absence of
their protectors and supporters.
SECOND SEQIMENT. 103
SECOND REGIMENT.
AFTER the organization of the First Regiment, the
surplus of men at Camp Union were sent to Camp Con
stitution, Portsmouth, for the purpose of forming the
Second Regiment. They were quartered in rope-walks
and adjacent buildings, which had been converted into
comfortable barracks, in the southern part of the city.
On the 10th of May nine hundred and seventy-nine
men — all enlisted for three months — had arrived at camp
and were being drilled, disciplined and made acquain
ted with the duties pertaining to a soldier's life, by Col.
Thomas P. Pierce, of Manchester, who had been com
missioned Colonel of the regiment, when an order came
to the Governor from the War Department to send no
more three months troops. In consequence of this
change in the term of service, Col. Pierce resigned on
the 4th of June, and Hon. Gilman Marston, of Exeter,
then a member of Congress from the First District, was
commissioned Colonel of the three years regiment, and
immediately assumed command.
The following were the commissioned officers of the
regiment during its whole term of service, and their
record as appears upon the books in the Adjutant Gen
eral's office, with such corrections as ctmld be obtained :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Thomas P. Pierce, of Manchester.
Resigned June 4, 1861.
Gilman Marston, of Exeter.
Wounded July 21, 1861, at Bull Run. Promoted to Brigadier General U. S.
Volunteers, April 17, 1863.
Edward L. Bailey, of Manchester.
Slightly wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Mustered out June 29, 1864.
104 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Joab "N. Patterson, of Hopkinton.
Appointed Brevet Brig^ Gen. U. S. Volunteers, in 1&>5. Mustered out as
Colonel, Dec. 19, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Francis S. Fiske, of Keene.
Resigned Oct. 23, 1862.
Edward L. Bailey, of Manchester.
Promoted to Colonel April 18, 1863
James "W. Carr, of Manchester.
Slightly wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Mustered out June 21 , 1864.
Joab N. Patterson, of Hopkinton.
Promoted to Colonel Jan. 10, 1865.
John D. Cooper, of Concord.
Died of disease, at Baltimore, Oct. 30, 1865.
Majors — Josiah Stevens, Jr., of Concord.
Resigned July 25, 1862.
Edward L. Bailey, of Manchester.
Promoted to Lieut. Col. Oct. 23, 1862.
James W. Carr, of Manchester.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel April 18, 1863.
Samuel P. Sayles, of Dover.
Severely wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Mustered out June 21, 1864.
John D. Cooper, of Concord.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel March 1, 1865.
Levi BT. Converse, of Keene.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Nov. 1, 1865, but not mustered. Mustered out as
Major Dec. 19, 1865.
Adjutants — Samuel G. Langley, of Manchester.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel of the Fifth Regiment Oct. 26, 1861.
Center H. Lawrence, of Fitchburg, Mass.
Appointed A. A. Gen. U. S. Vols. Sept. 1, 1862.
Albert M. Perkins, of Exeter.
Promoted to Captain June 18, 18C3.
John D. Cooper, of Concord.
Severely wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Pro. to Major June 21, 1864.
Edgar B. LeGro, of Somersworth.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 1, 1864.
Charles E. Plaisted, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 1, 1865.
Quartermasters — John S. Godfrey, of Hampton Falls.
Promoted to Captain and A. Q. M. Vols. Aug. 21, 1861.
Francis "W. Perkins, of Concord.
Promoted to Capt. and A. Q. M. Vols. June 9, 1862.
James A. Cook, of Cornish.
Promoted to Captain and Com. Sub. U. S. Vols. July 2, 1863. Honorably
discharged for disability, Sept. 1864.
SECOND REGIMENT. 105
Charles H. Shute, of Concord.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Abner F. Durgin, of Fisherville.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Surgeons — George H. Hubbard, of Manchester.
Resigned Oct. 1, 1861.
James M. Merrow, of Bollinsford.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
William P. Stone, of Danbury.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Assistant Surgeons — George P. Greeley, of Nashua.
Resigned June 3, 1861.
James M. Merrow, of Rollinsford.
Promoted to Surgeon Oct 2, 1861.
Oscar Worthley, of Stewartstown.
Resigned Sept. 17, 1862.
"William P. Stone, of Danbury.
Promoted to Surgeon July 6, 1864.
"William G. Stark, of Manchester.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
"Willard C. Kempton, of Plainfield.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Chaplains — Henry E. Parker, of Concord.
Resigned July 14, 1862.
George S. Barnes, of Seabrook.
Resigned April 25, 1863.
John "W. Adams, of Salem.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — George "W. Gordon, of Allenstown.
Promoted to Second Lieut. July 29, 1861.
Center H. Lawrence, of Fitchburg, Mass.
Promoted to Adjutant, Oct. 26, 1861.
Norton E-. Moore, of Gotfstown.
Promoted to Second Lieutenant, July 11, 1862.
Henry Hay wood, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 25, 1862.
Frank C. Wasley, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 18, 1863.
Alvin S. Wiggin, of Manchester.
Promoted to Second Lieut, June 18, 18G3.
James E. Saunders, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Second Lieut. May 11, 1864.
Edgar B. LeGro, of Somersworth.
Promoted to Adjutant, July 1, 1864
106 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Edward Clark, of Hooksett.
Promoted to Fir*t Lieut. Nov. 3, 1864.
Edwin Richardson, of Nelson.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 8, 1865.
Charles H. Streeter, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 1, 1865.
William Williams, of Lebanon.
Promoted to Second Lieut. July 26, 1865.
James Downey.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeants — F. W. Perkins' of Concord.
Jfromoted to First Lieut, and Quartermaster, Aug. 21, 1861.
Charles II. Shute, of Concord.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Aug. 10, 1862.
Joseph II. Wilkinson, of Fisherville.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Dec. 16, 1863.
Abner F. Durgin, of Fisherville.
Re-enlisted, Jan. 1, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut, and Quartermaster,
June 24, 1864.
Frank H. Hervej, of Exeter.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 20, 1865.
Richard W. Robinson, of Concord.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Nov. 1, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — James A. Cook, of Cornish.
Promoted to First Lieut, and Quartermaster, June 9, 1862.
William J. Rahn, of Keene.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Oliver M. Dame, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 20, 1865.
Francis E. Paris, of Goffstown.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — William G. Stark, of Manchester.
Discharged for disability, Jan. 22, 1863. Re-enlisted Jan. 1, 1864, Pro
moted to Asst. Surgeon, June 24, 1864.
George Bullen, of Manchester.
Discharged for disability, Feb. 17, 1865.
William Clifford, of Nashua.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Daniel W. Newel], of Manchester.
Discharge for disability, Jan. 22, 1863.
Stephen J. Smiley,
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Nathaniel M. Ricker, of Portsmouth.
Re-enlisted Jan. 1, 1864. Deserted at Warsaw, Va., Sept, 30, 1865.
SECOND REGIMENT. 107
Simeon Partridge, of Concord.
Mustered out June 18, 1865.
Arthur E. Buckminster, of Manchester.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — Tileston A. Barker, of Keene.
Resigned Sept. 1. 1862.
Levi !N". Converse, of Keene.
Lost right arm at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Promoted to Major May 8,
1865.
Edward Clark, of Hooksett.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Henry M. Metcalf, of Keene.
Promoted to Capt. Aug. 13, 1862. Killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863.
Herbert B. Titus, of Chesterfield.
Promoted to Major 9th Reg. June 14, 1862.
Frederick W. Cobb, of Keene.
Resigned Aug. 31, 1862.
Levi 1ST. Converse, of Keene.
Promoted to Captain, July 2, 1863.
Silas Hay ward, of Fitzwilliam.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Samuel F. Holbrook.
Promoted to Captain, April 1, 1865.
Oliver M. Dame, of Portsmouth.
Honorably discharged, Sept. 25, 1865.
John E. Harcwell, of Chester.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Herbert B. Titus, of Chesterfield.
Promoted to First Lieut. June, 1862.
Frederick W, Cobb, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 1, 1862.
Levi 1ST. Converse, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 31, 1862.
Silas Hayward, of FitzwiiHam.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 2, 1863.
Eobert Miller.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
William "Williams, of Lebanon.
Dismissed, Nov. 1, 1865.
John W. Hammond, of Winchester.
Not mustered. Mustered out, Dec. 19, 1865.
108 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Co. B. — Captains — Simon G. Griffin, o£ Concord.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel 6th Regt. Oct. 26, 1861.
Abiel W. Colby, of Concord.
Died May 13, 1862.
Joseph A. Hubbard, of Manchester.
Killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863.
William H. Smith, of Exeter.
Died of wounds, July 7, 1864
George T. Carter, of Concord.
Promoted to Major, Nov. 1, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Charles W. Walker, of Concord.
Killed on cars en route to Washington, June 31, 1861.
Abiel W. Colby, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain, Nov. 1, 1861.
George W. Boyden, of Concord.
Resigned May 20, 1862.
William W. Ballard, of Boscawen.
Killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863.
George M. Shute, of Concord.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Frank W. Morgan, of Hopkinton.
Promoted to Captain, April 1, 1865.
Lewis Wood, of Somersworth.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Abiel W. Colby, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 1, 1861.
Charles Holmes, of Hopkinton.
Promoted to Captain 17th U. S. Infantry, Nov. 11, 1861.
William W. Ballard, of Boscawen.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 11, 1862.
John D. Cooper, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1862.
George M. Shute, of Concord,
Severely wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Promoted to First Lieut.
July 3, 1863.
Rufus L. Bean, of Portsmouth.
Transferred to Company G.
Thomas Lees, of Durham.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Benjamin F. Peters.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 24, 1865.
James Harvey, of New Hampton.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
SECOND REGIMENT. 109
Co. C. — Captains — John W. Carr, of Manchester.
Promoted to Major, Oct. 23, 1862.
John F. Ho1 man, of Somersworth.
Resigned June 18, 1863.
George "W, Roberts, of Dover.
Killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863.
Hugh R. Richardson, of Lancaster.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Edward D. Bean, cf Biddeford, Me.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — James H. Platt, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain, Aug. 10, 1862.
George "W. Roberts, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain, June 18, 1863.
James H. Baker, of Farrnington.
Transferred to Company F.
Silas L. Hay ward, of Fitzwilliam.
Transferred to Company A.
Frank C. Wasley, of Manchester.
Severely wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Edward D. Bean, of Biddeford, Me.
-Promoted to Captain, Nov. 2, 1864.
Milan D. Spaulding, of Keene.
Honorably discharged, May 11, 1865.
Frank H. Hervey, of Exeter.
Not mustered. Mustered out June 12, 1865.
James A. Sanborn, of Portsmouth.
Declined, Aug. 4, 1865.
Samuel F. Patterson, of Concord.
Mustered out, Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — S. 0. Burnham, of Pembroke.
Promoted to Captain, Aug. 25, 1862.
Frank C. Wasley, of Manchester.
Pramoted to First Lieut. June 18, 1863.
"William C. Montgomery, of Hopkinton.
Transferred to Company H.
Joseph H. Wilkinson.
Mustered out, June 21, 1864.
James A. Hutton, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out, Dec. 19, 1865.
Co. D. — Captains — Hiram Rollins, of Dover.
Transferred to Company K, Aug. 1, 1861.
Samuel P. Sayles, of Dover.
Promoted to Major, April 18, 1863.
110 THE GREAT REBELLION.
George E. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Transferred to Company K.
Albert M. Perkins, of Exeter.
Severely wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Mustered out June 21, 1804.
Edgar B. LeGro, of Somersworth.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Samuel P. Sayles, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 1, 1861
Warren H. Parmenter, of Dover.
Resigned July 8, 1862.
George W. Gordon, of Allenstown.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 1, 1862.
Henry Hayward, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain May 25, 1864.
David M. Perkins, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 21, 1864*
George W. Nixon, of Pembroke.
Dismissed Jan. 7, 1865.
Edward Richardson, of Kelson.
Honorably discharged May 11, 1865.
Charles E. Jones, of Milton.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — W. H. Parmenter, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1861.
George "W. Roberts, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 10, 1862.
Charles H. Shute, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 18, 1863.
Enoch G. Adams, of Durham.
Promoted to Captain U. S. Vols. April 30, 1864.
James E. Saunders, of Peterborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jnne 24, 1864.
Edwin Haines, of Lancaster County, Pa.
Musteaed out Dec." 19, 1865
Co. E. — Captains — Leonard Drown, of Ffsherville.
Killed at Williamsburg, May 5, 1862.
William H. Smith, of Exeter.
Transferred to Company B.
James H. Platt, of Manchester.
Killed May 16, 1864.
Henry Hayward, of Dover.
Killed at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864.
James E. Saunders, of Peterborough.
Honorably discharged May 30, 1864.
SECOND REGIMENT. Ill
Daniel W. Bohonon.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — William H. Smith, of Exeter.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 1, 1862.
Isaac E". Vesper, of Fisherville.
Resigned May 6> 1863.
Jacob Hall, of Barrington.
'Severely wounded at Gettysburg July 2, 1863. Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Charles McGlaughlin, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged May 17, 1865.
Charles H. Streeter, of Portsmouth.
Honorably discharged Aug. 16, 1865.
Benjamin F. Peters.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Ai B. Thompson, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain U. S. Army Aug. 7, 1861.
Albert M. Perkins, of Exeter.
Promoted to Adjutant Sept. 1, 1862
"William H. Colcord, of Exeter.
Promoted to First Lieut July 2, 1863
John W. Lord, of Somersworth.
Wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Mustered out June 21, 1864.
James H. Andrews, of Portsmouth.
Honorably discharged Oct. 20, 1865
Charles W. Dimond, of Coutoocook.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Co. F. — Captains — Thomas Snow, of Somersworth.
Resigned Aug. 12, 1862
Henry M. Metcalf, of Keene. •
Killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1863
David Steele, of Antrim.
Transferred to Company G
Harrison D. F. Young, of Lancaster.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Frank W. Morgan, of Hopkinton.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
.First Lieuts. — J. F. Littlefield, of Somersworth.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 1, 1861
Henry M. Metcalf, of Keene.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 13, 1862.
Hugh R. Richardson, of Lancaster.
Severely wounded at 'Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Promoted to Captain July
4. 1863.
112 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Alvin S. Wiggin, of Manchester.
Transferred to Company I.
James H. Baker, of Farmington.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Henry A. Flint, of Farmington.
Cashiered Feb. 4, 1865.
Oilman T. Gould, of Peterborough.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — H. D. F. Young, of Lancaster.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 11, 1862.
Norton E. Moore, of Goffstown.
Died Aug. 29, 1862.
James H. Baker, of Farmington.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 18, 1863.
Alvin S. Wiggin, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 4, 1863.
James H. Swain.
Wounded May 9, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Joseph Lemmons, of Manchester.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Co. G. — Captains — Ephraim "Weston, of Hancock.
Died Dec. 9, 1861.
Evarts W. Farr, of Littleton.
Resigned Sept. 4, 1862.
James H. Platt, of Manchester.
Transferred to Company E.
David Steele, of Antrim.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
George F. Holbrook.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Evarts "W. Farr, of Littleton.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 1, 1862.
Sylvester Rogers, of Nashua.
Killed at Bull Run, Aug. 29, 1862.
David Steele, of Antrim.
Severely wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Promoted to Captain July
3,1863.
George M. Shute, of Concord.
Transferred to Company B.
Hiram K Ladd, of Haverhill.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
James E. Saunders, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Captain July 10, 1864.
SECOND REGIMENT. 113
Charles A. Locke, of London.
Honorably discharged May 11, 1865.
James "W". Felt, of Winchester.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1866.
Second Lieuts. — Sylvester Rogers, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1862.
David Steele, of Antrim.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1862.
Edmund Dascomb, of Greenfield.
Died of wounds July 13, 1863.
John McDonald, of Portsmouth,
Transferred to Company K.
Rufus L. Bean, of Portsmouth.
Dismissed May 7, 1864.
John E. Hart-well, of Chester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 20, 1865.
Freeman F. Sanborn, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 1, 1865.
Co. H.— Captains— Ichabod Pearl, of Great Falls.
Resigned Aug. 12, 1861.
Joshua F. Littlefield, of Somersworth.
Transferred to Company B, May 23, 1862.
Joab N. Patterson, of Hopkinton.
Severely wounded at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. Promoted to Lieut. Colonel
June 21, 1864.
Albert J. Hanson, of Great Falls.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Joab N. Patterson, of Hopkinton.
Promoted to Captain May 23, 1862.
Harrison D. F. Young, of Lancaster.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 20, 1862.
John D. Cooper, of Concord.
Promoted to Adjutant June 18, 1863.
Andrew G. Bracy, of Somersworth.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
Albert J. Hanson, of Great Falls.
Promoted to Captain, Nov. 3, 1864.
Edward Clark, of Hooksett.
Promoted to Captain, July 11, 1865.
Henry C. Tyler, of Portsmouth.
Not mustered. Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — "Wm. H. Prescott, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain U. S. Army, Aug. 7, 1861.
John F. Hoi man, of Somersworth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 2, 1862,
114 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
Andrew G. Bracy, of Somersworth.
Promoted to.Captain, June 18, 1863.
William Montgomery, of Hopkinton.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
James Thompson, of Portsmouth.
Not mustered. Died at Warsaw, Va., Nov. 10, 1865.
George C. Stephens, of Jaffrey.
Not mustered. Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Co. I. — Captains — Edward L. Bailey, of Manchester.
Promoted to Major, July 26, 1862.
Joseph A. Hubbard, of Manchester.
Transferred to Tompany B, Oct. 12, 1862.
George ~W. Gordon, of Allenstown.
Slightly wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Killed at Cold Harbor, June
3, 1864.
Thomas E. Marshall, of Mason.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — J. A. Hubbard, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain, July 26, 1862
Oscar A. Moar, of Manchester.
Died of disease, July 31, 1863.
Hiram K. Ladd, of Have rh ill.
Transferred to Company G.
Alvin S. Wiggin, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 21, 1864
Thomas E. Marshall, of Mason.
Promoted to Captain, April 27, 1865.
Robert C. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Adjutant, Nov. 1, 1865.
Freeman F. Sanborn, of Portsmouth.
Not mustered. Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — J. A. Hubbard, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 29, 1861.
George W. Gordon, of Allenstown.
Promoted to Captain, Sept. 1, 1862
Charles Yickery, of Manchester.
Taken prisoner at Gettysburg, July 2,' 1863. Died of wounds July 10, 1863.
Eobert L. Miller.
Transferred to Company A.
David M. Perkins, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 25, 1864.
George T. Carter, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain, June 24, 1864.
SECOND REGIMENT. 115
/ Richard W. Robinson, of Concord.
Not mustered. Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Co. K. — Captains — "William 0. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Resigned July, 1861.
Hiram Rollins, of Dover.
Severely -wounded at Bull Run, July 21, 1861. Honorably discharged on
account of wounds, Oct. 14, 1862.
Samuel 0. Burnham, of Pembroke.
Transferred to Invalid Corps, Sept., 1863.
Albert M. Perkins, of Exeter.
Transferred to Campany D.
George E. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Slightly wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Mustered out Tune 21, 1864.
James I. Locke, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — J. S. Godfrey, of Hampton Falls.
Appointed Quartermaster, June 4, 1861.
Edwin R. Goodrich.
Promoted to Commissary of Subsistence, TT. S. Vols. Sept., 1861.
John S. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Resigned Jan. 7, 1863.
George E. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain, April 18, 1863.
Charles H. Shute, of Concord.
Transferred to Company D, April 18, 1863.
"William IT. Colcord, of Exeter.
Wounded at Cold Harbor, June 5, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1864.
James I. Locke, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain, April, 1, 1865.
Alexander Erazer, of Bow.
Mustered out Dec. 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — James S. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1861.
George E. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1862.
Charles 1ST. Patch, of Portsmouth.
Wounded at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863. Died of wounds July 10, 1863.
John S. McDonald, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out June 21, 1864.
George H. Coleman, of Piermont.
Mustered out Deo. 19, 1865.
116 THE GREAT REBELLION.
GENERAL GILMAN MARSTON.
Gen. Gilman Mars ton is a native of Orford, and the
son of a farmer. He comes of fighting stock ; of his
ancestors more than one took the field, during the
early hostilities of the province, and his grand-father,
one of the first settlers of Orford, served with much
credit as a captain, in the old French war.
His boyhood was passed upon his father's farm,
where he formed a practical acquaintance with all the
operations of husbandry, and a taste for agricultural
pursuits, which has never left him. But he had a strong
desire for a collegiate education, and with true New
England independence, determined that he would ac
quire it, without imposing any burden upon his father.
By employing his winters in school-teaching, he suc
ceeded in his purpose, and graduated at Dartmouth
College in 1837. The next year and a half he was in
charge of an academy in Indianapolis, Ind., and then
pursued the study of the law in the office of Judge Wil-
cox, in Orford, at the Dane Law School, at Cambridge,
and finally in the office of Messrs. Hubbard and Watts,
in Boston.
In 1841 Mr. Marston was admitted to the bar, and at
once opened an office in Exeter, where he has since
resided. Going there without acquaintance or capi
tal, it required no small degree ojf courage and reso
lution to strive for a position in a bar which numbered
among its members such men as Levi Woodbury, Icha-
bod Bartlett, James Bell and Daniel M. Christie. To
add to the difficulties which Mr. Marston had to en
counter, he was soon attacked by a serious illness, which
endangered his life, and disabled him for business, for
a considerable time. But his resolution never failed
him, and in spite of all discouragements, he steadily
made his way in the confidence of the community.
SECOND REGIMENT. 117
Untiring in his attention to his professional duties, and
entering with his whole heart into the cause of his
clients, in very little time he made himself known
throughout his county as a lawyer of energy and ability,
and business flowed in upon him in abundance.
It was not long before he was called upon to make
his appearance in political life. In 1845 he was elected
a Representative to the State Legislature, and acquitted
himself so much to the satisfaction of his constituents
that he was re-elected in each of the two succeeding
years, and in 1850 was chosen a member of the Consti
tutional Convention.
In 1859 he was elected a Representative in the Con
gress of the United States. In accepting the office he
relinquished a professional practice among the largest
and most lucrative in the State, and devoted his whole
time and energies to the duties of his position. He
made himself familiar with every subject on which he
was called upon to act, and did what he thought to be
right, without regard to the 'consequences to himself.
Among those who knew him best he sustained the
character of an able, fearless and upright legislator.
He was re-elected to Congress in 1861; but he had
long foreseen the crisis which was approaching, and
had resolved upon the course which his patriotic feel
ings dictated. During the trying period which occurred
between the inauguration of President Lincoln and the
arrival of troops, Mr. Marston was in Washington, and
with other loyal and gallant men, enrolled himself in
the battalion commanded by Cassius M. Clay, for the
protection of the President and the defense of the capi
tal. As soon as "Washington was rendered secure, he
returned to New Hampshire and tendered his services
to the Executive of the State.
The First New Hampshire Regiment had been re
cruited for three months only ; and it was determined
118 THE GREAT REBELLION.
to enlist the Second for three years; £nd to the com
mand of this choice, and soon to be distinguished, body
of men, Mr. Marston was at once appointed. He im
mediately entered upon the duty of organizing it for
the field, and on the 20th of June, 1861, he had the satis
faction of conducting it, with full ranks, to Washington.
One month later Col. Marston led his gallant command
into the battle of Bull Run. In the hottest of the fight
he was wounded by a musket ball, which shattered the
bone of the right arm, near the shoulder. Retiring to
the rear just long enough to have the fractured limb
hastily bound up, he remounted his horse, which being
led by an orderly, he returned at once to his regiment.
"When the retreat took place, he was conveyed to Wash
ington, in a state of great exhaustion arid suffering, in
an army wagon. Here the surgeons, after consultation,
informed the Colonel, that to save his life, his arm must
be amputated at the shoulder. He replied that he
would never permit it; he believed the arm could be
saved, and he would live or die, unmutilated. His
firmness was most fortunate, for though the climate of
Washington was prostrating, yet when he returned to
breathe his native air, his improvement was rapid, and
in little more than two months he was able to rejoin his
regiment, with the wounded arm promising to be nearly
as serviceable as ever. The time of his convalescence
he improved with characteristic diligence, by making
himself familiar with military tactics, and the duties of
his position.
From this time till the Spring of 1863, the history of
Col. Marston is identified with that of his regiment.
During the whole period he was with his men, leading
them in every engagement, and sharing their toils and
hardships. In the trenches, at Yorktown ; at the ex
treme front, under Hooker, at Williamsburg ; amid the
miseries of Fair Oaks; during the terrific battles be-
SECOND REGIMENT. 119
fore Richmond; at the overwhelming repulse of the
enemy at Malvern Hill ; in the second Bull Run cam
paign, where the regiment met and routed successive
lines of the enemy with the bayonet ; and at the attack
on Fredericksburg under Burnside, Col. Marston, with
his brave command, won unfading laurels.
"Within this period, he was again seriously wounded,
by the accidental discharge of a pistol, in the hands of
a lad in an adjoining tent. In the various events of
these campaigns, Col. Marston endeared himself to his
men by his care for their welfare and comfort, by his
exact justice, and above all by requiring from them no
service that he was not ready to bear his part in per
forming.
During the "Winter of 1862-63, while the active opera
tions of the Army of the Potomac were suspended, he
resumed his seat in Congress, where his presence was
deemed of importance, and remained there during the
residue of his term.
In the Autumn of 1862 he had received the appoint
ment of Brigadier General, but had preferred to retain
simply the command of his regiment, with which he
desired to remain so long as its organization continued ;
but in April, 1863, he was induced to accept the higher
commission, on being placed in charge of the district
of St. Mary's, a post of importance, embracing an ex
tensive camp of confederate prisoners, and being directly
under the command of the Secretary of War. His force
consisted of the Second, Fifth and Twelfth New Hamp
shire regiments, a regiment of colored troops, one full
battery of artillery, and two companies of United States
cavalry, to which were added two or more gunboats.
The prisoners confined at Point Lookout, at which
Gen. Marston's head-quarters were established, num
bered at times as many as ten thousand.
The duty of guarding a post so near the enemy's
120 THE GREAT REBELLION.
lines, and holding out so strong inducements for an
attack, was an arduous and responsible one, and after
an- experience of nearly a year, Gen. Marston was not
reluctant to exchange it for a command in the field.
In April, 1864, he was assigned to the Eighteenth
Corps, then in the Army of the James; his brigade
consisting of the 81st, 92d, 96th and 139th New York
regiments. Early in May they were placed by an un
expected movement up the James, at Bermuda Hun
dred. In the affair at Kingsland Creek which soon
followed, Gen. Marston 's command were sharply en
gaged ; and subsequently he participated in the attack
at Drury's Bluif, having the command of his brigade in
conjunction with some other troops.
The Eighteenth Corps, after retiring from Drury's
Bluif, were ordered to Cold Harbor, where Gen. Marston
with his command bore their full share in the series of
struggles to dislodge the enemy from their almost im
pregnable position. In one attack, the General's brig
ade lost in killed and wounded, within the space of half
an hour, no less than five hundred men.
Gen. Grant having resolved on a flanking movement
sent forward the Eighteenth Corps by water, and on
their arrival before Petersburg they carried the enemy's
works in front by assault, in which Gen. Marston with
his command took part.
He was soon afterwards placed by Gen. Grant in
charge of a considerable force stationed at various
points along the* James, — a position requiring great
vigilance and discretion ; and remained their until the
following October, when he was assigned to the com
mand of a division, in the forces under Gen. Butler.
Here Gen. Marston was attacked with chills and fever,
the result of long continued exposure during some
movements in the swampy region near Richmond, and
was obliged to quit the army on sick leave.
SECOND REGIMENT. 121
On his arrival in Washington he received intelligence
that he had again been tendered the nomination for
Congress, and at the following March election he was
chosen for his third term. Upon the fall of Richmond
and the cessation of hostilities, a month after, he re
signed* his commission in the army.
Gen. Marston served through his congressional term,
with his accustomed fidelity, and then returned home
to Exeter, where he now resides, engaged in the active
practice of his profession.
GENERAL J. N. PATTERSON.
Glen. Patterson was born at Hopkinton, January 2d,
1835. He fitted for college at ISTew Hampton, entered
Dartmouth College in 1856, and graduated in 1860 —
paying his own way by teaching school winters. He
was about to commence the study of a profession wThen
the war broke out. Feeling that he had a duty to his
country to perform, he enlisted as a private on the 22d
of April, 1861, was appointed a recruiting officer,
opened an office at Contoocookville, enlisted a company
of seventy-two men, for three months' service, and took
them to Portsmouth on the 27th of May, where most
of the men re-enlisted for three years. He was com
missioned First Lieutenant of Company H, on the 4th
of June, and promoted to Captain of the same Company
on the 23d of May, 1862. He served continually with
his regiment through the seven days' fight before Rich
mond, and was never absent from his command on a
march, in a skirmish or battle during the four and a
half years that his regiment served. He was in twenty-
four engagements, battles and skirmishes, from the first
Bull Run to the taking of Richmond, April 3d, 1865.
After the battle of Gettysburg the Second Regiment
was sent to Point Lookout, Md., where it remained un-
122 THE GREAT REBELLION.
til April, 1864, guarding the depot of rebel prisoners.
Capt. Patterson was appointed Provosf Marshal for the
district of St. Mary's, and placed in charge of all the
prisoners, by Gen. Marston. He was appointed acting
Major of the regiment on its arrival at Yorktown —
Major Sayles being absent, wounded. After the battle
of Drury's Bluff the regiment went to Cold Harbor
with the Eighteenth Army Corps, and was engaged in
that battle. The three years for which the men en
listed had now expired, and those who did not re-enlist,
with all the commissioned officers, returned to New
Hampshire to be discharged. Patterson remained in
charge of the veterans and recruits, about three hun
dred in all.
On the recommendation of Gen. Gilman Marston,
commanding the Brigade, and Major Gen. W. F. Smith,
commanding the Eighteenth Corps, Capt. Patterson was
appointed Lieut. Colonel, June 21st, 1864. He was
commissioned Colonel of the Second Regiment Jan.
10th, 1865, but there not being the requisite number
of men he could not be mustered until June, 1865,
when about three hundred men from the Tenth, Twelfth
and Thirteenth Regiments were joined with those of
the Second, making it up to one thousand s-trong. At
this time many regiments were mustered out, and the
three brigades in the Second Division were consoli
dated into two, and one of them placed in command of
Col. Patterson, by order of Gen. Devens, commanding
the Division.
On the 10th of July, 1865, the Second Regiment was
ordered to Fredericksburg, Va., and Col. Patterson was
assigned to the command of the sub-district of the
Northern Neck, with headquarters at Warsaw. Here
he remained until December, when he was ordered
with his regiment to City Point, to be mustered out of
the service. In September, 1864, he was temporarily
SECOND REGIMENT. 123
in command of the Third Brigade, Second Division,
Eighteenth Army Corps, and commanded it in the
action of Williamsburg Road, Oct. 27, 1864, Col. Pat
terson was appointed Brevet Brig. General, to date
from March 13, 1865, for " bravery in battle and good
conduct throughout the war," and most worthily was
the rank bestowed.
Gen. Patterson was mustered out with the Second
Regiment, Dec. 19, 1865, having served four and a half
years ; returned to New Hampshire ; settled at Con
cord; married Miss Sarah C., daughter of Rev. Dr. N.
Bouton, of that city, in March, 1867, by whom he has
one son ; was appointed United States Marshal for the
District of IsTew Hampshire, which office he now holds,
and discharges his duties, as he did all in the army,
most creditably.
COLONEL EDWARD L. BAILEY.
Col. Bailey, of Manchester, was commissioned Cap
tain of Co. I, Second Regiment, June 4, 1861, which
position he filled to the acceptance of men under and
officers over him, until the 26th of July, 1862, when he
was promoted to Major. On the 23d of October of the
same year he was promoted to Lieut. Colonel, and on
the 18th of April, 1863, to Colonel of the Regiment.
He was slightly wounded at the battle of Gettysburg,
July 2, 1863. He returned to New Hampshire with the
Regiment at the expiration of its term of enlistment,
and was mustered out of service June 29, 1864. Col.
Bailey was in command of the Regiment during the
battle of Gettysburg, and Brigadier General Graham,
under whose eye it fought, conferred a well merited
compliment upon its commander for the cool, gallant
and efficient manner in which he handled and fought
his regiment on that most trying occasion.
124 THE GREAT REBELLION.
MISS HARRIET P. DAME.«
No history of the Second New Hampshire Regiment
would be complete without it contained more than a
passing notice of Miss Harriet P. Dame, of Concord.
She offered her services before the regiment left the
State, and though not quite ready to go to "Washing
ton when they did, she soon joined them there, and
was ever afterwards regarded as one of its most brave,
patriotic, honored and beloved members. A lady writes
the author asking that Miss Dame may be suitably men
tioned here, and says : " She stepped forth, moved with
a great purpose, and offered her life for her country.
Such true heroism is unparalleled and unprecedented
in the history of any country. She was more than the
4 Florence Nightingale of America,' because she had
not the secure protection of hospital, but stood with
our soldiers beneath the rain and fire of bullets, un
daunted. She knew no fear, and thought not for a
moment of her personal safety, for God had called her,
and she felt that His divine protection was over all."
Words are too poor and a few pages too circumscribed
to do her anything like justice. Her good deeds are en
shrined in the memory and hearts of thousands who, but
for her timely and tender care, would be numbered with
other thousands who, for want of it, died upon the field
of battle from wounds, and in hospital from disease in
cident to the exposures and hardships of war.
Rev. J. W. Adams, Chaplain of the Second from De
cember, 1£63, furnishes the following beautiful tribute
to Miss Dame :
My personal acquaintance with Miss Dame com
menced in the winter of 1863, when I received my
commission, and joined the renowned " Old Second,"
at Point Lookout, Md. Even then her praise was in all
the New England Regiments. Many who had unex-
SECOND REGIMENT. 125
pectedly recovered from sickness and wounds, had
arisen from the sufferer's cot to call her blessed.
The exploits of heroic men were not related with
more enthusiasm, nor with half the satisfaction with
which her deeds of sympathy were rehearsed. Her
name could hardly be mentioned in a New Hampshire
regiment without calling forth the response, " I owe
my life to Miss Dame." . Though nominally connected
with my regiment, our boys were not permitted the
entire monopoly of her fame. All the Granite State
regiments in the armies of the Potomac and James
spoke her name and referred to her acts with equal
pride. I have heard them tell how she toiled day after
day on the bloody field of Gettysburg, sometimes, dur
ing the battle, between the lines, and once a prisoner
in the hands of the enemy, still absorbed and self-for
getful, devoting herself to the relief of our wounded
men. And when the darkness of night, and the ex
haustion of her energies made rest imperative, she
would pillow her head upon the gory field, and sleep
amid the dead and wounded scattered around her.
During the winter of 1863 she had charge of the New
Hampshire Soldiers' Relief Rooms in Washington, from
which she frequently went forth on tours of inspection,
that she might the more judiciously distribute the sub
stantial aid and comfort directed to this channel, from
the good people at home.
When the Army of the James was organized for the
campaign of 1864, she arranged to leave her charge in
Washington, and follow its destinies. She was a better
general than McClellan, for she always managed to have
a good stock of supplies, and was ready to move at a
moment's notice. She also had the rare faculty of ar
ranging the forces under her charge, and of leading off
in the execution of her own plans. She was an inces
sant worker herself and kept every body around her at
126 THE GREAT REBELLION.
work. If she were to frame a ritual, she.would be quite
sure to have in it something like this : " From empty
titles and hollow pretensions, — Good Lord deliver us.
From kid-gloved nurses who stand by the bedside of
human suffering, merely simpering, my good fellow I
pity you, — Good Lord deliver us."
During the sanguinary conflict at Cold Harbor, she
established herself at White House, rendering great ser
vice to our soldiers, who suffered severely. It was here
that Capt. Smith died, and here too, a few days after the
original volunteers of the Second embarked for home to
be mustered out, leaving the re-enlisted veterans and
recruits to add new luster to the fame already achieved
by this noble regiment. Miss Dame remained with us,
caring for our sick and wounded, until we all swung
around in front of Petersburg.
In the Eighteenth Army Corps field hospital, at
Broadway Landing, she could be seen to advantage —
one moment distributing garments, comfort-bags, cor
dials, &c., from her private tent, at another moving
under the large cooking tent, surrounded with delicate
and substantial articles of diet, and the large kettles
steaming with wholesome and palatable food in a state
of preparation. This tent was her throne; but she did
not sit upon it. From this place she issued her orders,
dispatched her messengers, and distributed luxuries to
thousands. Here she not only ruled with system, but
with sleeves rolled up, toiled harder than any of her
assistants.
In visiting my sick men in the hospital, and in pro
curing such articles of comfort as were necessary to
keep the partially indisposed from following them, I
had occasion to call on Miss Dame quite frequently.
Her first inquiries would generally be — " Well Chap
lain, how are the boys at the front? Are any of them
sick ? When are they going to get their pay ? Is there
SECOND REGIMENT. 127
anything I can send them that will do them good ?"
Many a can of condensed milk, beef tea, preserved
fruit, with Jamaica ginger, blackberry syrup, farina,
corn starch, and under garments for those who had
none to change, stockings, mittens &c., &c., have I re
ceived from her to distribute among the feeble ones
who did not wish to leave the front, and who had not
seen the paymaster for six or eight months. She un
derstood the importance of having the soldier keep up
his correspondence with home ; and the destitute never
lacked for a postage stamp to forward his missive, if she
could supply it.
After having compassed the rebel capital on all sides
during her three years of active service on the field, and
in the hospital, it was her privilege to join our regiment
soon after it entered the city of Richmond. And right
well she enjoyed it, for a more patriotic heart than
her's never beat. But even now, and here, her minis
trations were needed, and were cheerfully offered.
When the excitement of war had passed away and no
longer quickened the pulse or braced the nerve, many
of our men found themselves victims of chronic diseases
and broken-down constitutions. Many a soldier who
had for three years looked wistfully toward home, and
now confidently expected to reach it in a few weeks, or
months at most, must lie down upon the bed of sick
ness, and turn his face the other way to follow the beck
of Death, who was still busily engaged in opening graves
in the distant South. From her headquarters at our
regiment, she visited our own men, and those of other
regiments, cheering the sick and desponding by her
presence, and alleviating distress by skillful nursing,
and substantial benefactions.
On the 10th of July, 1865, our regiment was sent by cars
to Fredericksburg. Miss Dame accompanied us. Ow-
ng to the destruction of the track, we were left as night
128 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
came on, two miles below the city. The sick men occu
pied one freight car, Surgeon Stone and myself another,
and Miss Dame, among piles of baggage, made her home
in the third. .But she seemed to think she was highly
favored to have a rude freight car so much to herself,
and was only anxious to make the sick ones as comfort
able as possible. One man she sent to the nearest farm
house for milk and other things that were needed, and
others in other directions, so that the hospital was soon
in tolerable running order. From Fredericksburg she
went to Washington ; and soon returned with fresh sup
plies, to resume her duties. On the 27th of July, after
the headquarters of the regiment had been moved to
Warsaw Court House, she took the steamer for that
place, where in a few weeks she finished the prosecution
of her mission in person.
The question is sometimes asked, " Was there not
something indelicate in such familiar association with
society composed entirely of men ? And did she not
subject herself to insult from the rude soldiery ? " It is
wholly gratuitous to say that the military authorities
would 'have shielded her. She had no need of this.
Her devoted spirit, discreet bearing, and holy mission,
were all the protection she needed. A mother could
be no safer with her children, nor a sister safer with her
brothers, than was Miss Dame among the New Hamp
shire soldiers. If we may suppose that one could be
so thoughtless, as by word or deed to offend, a single
word from her would have put every sword and bayo
net of the command between her and the offender ; and
diminish his chances of life, by as many times as there
were men in the command.
Two or three times during the war, her tent, with
most of her personal effects, was destroyed by fire, by
which, and in other ways, she sustained a loss of hund
reds of dollars.
SECOND REGIMENT. 129
Of hardships, dangers, and losses, she never com
plained. But she was always ready to complain for the
needy, and of those who were recreant, as the agents of
other's charities.
The State has given but a faint expression of its obli
gations to this most practical and efficient of all its he
roic female representatives in the War of the Rebellion.
She deserves a monument, but does not need one. Her
noble deeds are engraved upon the memories of
thousands, whose children and children's children will
rehearse them as among the most beautiful that adorn
the annals of our military history.
The Second Regiment left Portsmouth by cars on
the morning of the 20th of June, 1861. and arrived in
Boston about twelve o'clock, where they were received
at the Eastern Railroad station by an association of the
Sons of New Hampshire, to the number of about four
teen hundred, headed by the Boston Cadets, and accom
panied by Gilmore's Band, all under the mar»halship of
Col. 0. A. Brewster, formerly of Hanover. The pro
cession marched through Blackstone, Commercial, State,
Court, Treinont and Winter streets to Music Ilau, where
a sumptuous collation was spread. The streets all along
the route were crowded with spectators, who cheered
the troops at every step. Haymarket Square was a
literal sea of heads.
Music Hall was very appropriately and tastefully dec
orated. The galleries were occupied by the Sons of
New Hampshire and the floor by the troops, and every
seat in the hall was filled. Vociferous cheers were
given as the different parties, Governor Berry and
suite, and Ex-Governor Goodwin of New Hampshire,
Governor Andrew, of Massachusetts, the Cadets, and
the soldiers, arrived in the hall. The Marshal called
the company to order, and after a blessing was invoked
130 THE GREAT REBELLION.
by Eev. Dr. Quint, then of Jamaica Plains, the eating
commenced, at the conclusion of which Hon. Marshall
P. Wilder, a native of Kludge, was introduced as the
representative of the Sons of New Hampshire. He
bade the regiment a hearty welcome. He reminded
them of the revolutionary renown of their State, and of
their patriotic Governor, John Xangdon, who pledged
his last cent for the good of the country. He said that
war was a terrible crime ; but that an attack upon the
integrity of the Union more than justified it. The Stars
and Stripes must be respected south as well as north of
Mason and Dixon's line, and concluded by eloquently
reminding Col. Marstou of the importance of his trust.
Col. ^Marston responded, and said in substance that
he could not find words to express his emotions of grat
itude at the cordiality of the reception tendered hia regi
ment. The scenes of this day will nerve our hearts to
do all that man can do for the honor of New Hampshire,
God bless her. We have not left our happy and peace
ful homes for a war of conquest or oppression of any
body. We have taken up arms to preserve the freest
and best government against the most causeless rebel
lion ever conceived. And we will do it ! Wheiv this
war commenced, some doubt was expressed whether
the people of the free states, having always been en
gaged in the pursuits of peace, would be able to defend
the Union ; but the uprising of the whole North had
settled that point. Massachusetts had been the first in
the contest, as she was in the revolution. Many a tear
ful eye witnessed the march of the gallant Sixth of this
State, in Washington, through Penns}7lvania Avenue,
hungry and fatigued, after the scenes in Baltimore, but
as gallant and unsubdued a set of men as ever upheld
the honor of any country. He said the Second New
Hampshire Regiment was not composed of military
SECOND REGIMENT. 131
men, but civilians, yet, if they were given work to do,
he would answer for them, in the language of Colonel
Miller, "We'll try, sir." Col. Marston was frequently
interrupted during his remarks by the most enthusiastic
cheers.
The regiment left Music Hall about half-past two, and
marched to the Parade Ground upon the Common,
where they were reviewed by Gov. Andrew and Staff,
Gov. Berry, and Ex-Gov. Goodwin. The marching was
admirable, better than that of any regiment that had
left Boston for the seat of war, and was loudly ap
plauded.
The review concluded, the regiment marched to the
Fall River Railroad station, where they embarked on
board the cars for New York. The train consisted of
twenty-two cars, drawn by two heavy locomotives. At
Fall River the regiment was transferred from cars to
steamboats, and arrived at New York about eleven
o'clock, A. M., on the 21st. They were warmly wel
comed by the Sons of New Hampshire in that city, each
of whom wore an appropriate badge. II. B. Perkins
delivered an eloquent welcoming speech, as follows :
SONS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: — A few weeks since the
Sons of New Hampshire resident in this city, received
with distinguished honors, the First New Hampshire
Regiment, and to-day they are proud to recognize you
as the worthy recipients of a like demonstration. In
the name then, and in behalf of the Sons of New Hamp
shire, and of great and 'loyal New York, we bid you a
most cordial welcome. It has been very truly said,
that there have been men of a spirit so noble that,
in serving their country, they had in view no motives
of a selfish character, beyond, indeed, the satisfaction
of having done so ; and the time is not far distant,
when all right thinking men will gladly recognize the
132 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
brave soldiers who are now so heroically defending the
honor of our country's flag, as belonging to their class
of men ; and when the Davises and the Beauregards of
the South, shall be remembered as only they may be,
whose names are written but in sand, and when the
braves of the Crimea and the heroes of the Indies shall
live only in brass and marble, the names of Scott, of
Ellsworth, and of Butler, will be inscribed on our broad
prairies- -will be murmured in every brook — will be
mirrored in every lake — and will be written in every
valley and on every mountain peak, throughout the
length and breath of our land.
Soldiers, yours is not an avenging, a devastating mis
sion. You go forth to build up and to maintain our
beloved Union — to preserve our nationality, and to save
a bold, a reckless, and now a wretched, a piratical and
rebellious people from a fate worse, I may almost say,
than that of the fabled Ixion, who, for the murder of
his own sister, was doomed to be perpetually spun upon
a wheel, amid hissing serpents, and the burning lava-
tide of hell.
Soldiers of New Hampshire ! We, who were born
and nurtured amid the same granite hills to which you
have just bidden adieu — we whose kindred and friends
are pillowed on her rocky bosom — we are proud of you
to-day, and feel that the spirit of Stark and Langdon
still lives and animates your bosoms. Onward ! on
ward ! then, shall be our motto, as we know it is yours ;
onward, until the demon of treason and disunion is
crushed from our land (cheers), and Yankee Doodle
and the Star Spangled Banner shall again thrill the
hearts of a patriotic, a united, an invincible people.
(Cheers.)
Charles Soule followed Mr. Perkins in a brief but
eloquent speech, and presented an elegant silk flag —
SECOND REGIMENT. 133
the same under which the regiment fought many of its
hardest battles. It is now deposited in the rotunda of
the State House, Concord, riddled with rebel bullets
and missiles so that it would be difficult to recognize
it as the same beautiful ensign which they received
from the hands of their friends in New York. If it is
tarnished by the fire and smoke of battle, and its folds
torn by the shot and shell of the foes of the country, it
never suffered dishonor. The speaker reminded the
troops of the axiom that a consciousness of right always
engenders strength, and asked them to see to it that
every traitor at the South shall meet with a traitor's
doom.
The following is a report, published in a New York
paper at the time, of Col. Marston's reply :
The Colonel, Gilman Marston, listened to the ad
dresses on horseback, and with uncovered head. His
horse had stood meanwhile with little or no manifesta
tion of uneasiness, but when his rider's voice was
raised in response, the animal curvetted about consid
erably ; the Colonel, nevertheless, spoke easily, and
with as much dignity as his peculiar position at the
time permitted, pausing for a moment and reining up
his horse in front of the committeemen, as often as the
impatient steed carried him beyond the formal position
he had at first taken. During the delivery of his reply,
he said that in behalf of the regiment and himself,
he presented their united and grateful thanks for the
kind welcome they had been given, and the gift of so
beautiful a flag. The stars and stripes had always been
a type of our Union, to uphold which they had left the
comforts of home to undergo the deprivations and trials
of war ; but he hoped that, by the blessing of God, the
Union would be maintained for transmission to other
generations. He accepted the flag for the regiment,
134 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and pledged for them their devotion to it, and their
determination to uphold it with all their strength.
The flag was then carried to the line, the Sons of
New Hampshire formed into sections at the head of
the regiment, whose band struck up a national air,
when the regimental line broke into platoons, and the
whole column moved up Broadway amid the applause
and cheers of the thousands of spectators who crowded
the streets and admired the stalwart appearance and
soldierly bearing of the men. The officers dined with
the committee of arrangements, at the Everett House,
and the men were entertained at the Arsenal. In the
afternoon the regiment departed for Washington, by
cars, arrived there about noon on the 23d, and went into
camp at Colorama Hill, about a mile north of the city.
While passing through New Jersey, Lieut. Charles
W. Walker, of Co. B, fell from the cars and was so
badly injured that he soon died. His remains .were
sent back to Concord where his funeral was attended
by members of the Legislature and a large concourse
of citizens.
The Second was brigaded with the First and Second
Rhode Island and Seventy-first New York — all excellent
regiments. Attached to the brigade was the Second
Rhode Island Battery, and the Seventy-first New York
had two Dahlgren howitzers, manned by two of its com
panies. Col. Ambrose E. Burnside, of the Second Rhode
Island, was in command of the brigade.
THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
On the 16th of July the regiment started on its first
campaign, with full ranks. Men who for weeks had
been on the sick-list, now reported themselves for duty,
lest they should be left behind in what they fondly be
lieved would be the death blow of the rebellion. It was
SECOND REGIMENT. 135
a very hot day, and many of the men, overcome with
heat, fell out by the way. The brigade bivouacked for
the night at Bailey's Cross Roads. The next day, late
in the afternoon, they entered Fairfax Court House with
banners flying and bands playing, and the brigade
stacked their arms on the village green, while the colors
of the Second were displayed from the cupola of the
court house. Among the captures made here was a
rebel mail, containing on paper many evidences of
Southern prowess. The march was resumed early on
the morning of the 18th. In the afternoon the roar of
cannon and musketry was heard, and several wounded
men coming back created the most intense excitement,
by their reports, among the troops at the rear. The
Second went into camp near Centerville, the spirits of
the men being at fever heat, where they remained until
one o'clock on the morning of the 21st, when they again
moved forward. At daylight they were leading Hunter's
Division on the way to Bull Run. At half-past nine
o'clock the enemy was discovered in strong force ahead.
Half a mile further on the Rhode Island regiment filed
into the fields on the left, while the Second kept on up
the road. They had just entered the shade of a wood
when a cannon ball came screaming and crashing
through the trees overhead, followed immediately by
others, and fierce volleys of musketry. The excitement
was now unbounded; all superfluous baggage was
thrown off, and a rapid movement launched the regi
ment from the woods upon the battle field of Bull Run,
and it engaged in the fight. Col. Marston was wounded
in the shoulder by a rifle ball, and was carried to the
rear. His wound was hastily bound up, he returned
to the field to lead his men, and was received by them
with tumultuous applause.
The fighting was of the most desperate character.
Regiments charged the enemy gallantly and with broken
136 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ranks came back to the rear to re-form and again advance.
The battle continued until early in the afternoon, when
the firing almost ceased, and Gen. McDowell rode down
the line and informed the soldiers that a great victory
had been won, which drew forth much cheering. The
troops were in a very disorganized condition. Many
regiments could not muster half their numbers, while
the reserves were miles away. Rebel re-enforcements
were brought by railroad and put into the field, to wrest
from the Union army its dearly bought triumph. At the
same time an unaccountable panic seized our troops, and
while the frightened rebels were making rapid progress
towards Manassas, many of the Union army were flying
towards Washington. The Second formed upon the field
in good order to meet the fresh troops of the enemy, and
it was sent to the front to take the place of other regi
ments which were falling back in a disorganized condi
tion. It filed down into the valley where it was exposed
to a murderous fire, the men falling at every step. A
halt was made behind a ridge for the purpose of re-form
ing the ranks, when it again advanced on its way up the
hill, and came into position facing a rebel battery, posted
by the ruins of some log houses, behind which a body of
rebels kept up an incessant fire on the regiment, which
soon caused it to fall back. At this time regiment after
regiment of Johnston's men came from the woods, and
moving in solid columns against the broken regiments
of the Union army, swept triumphantly on, the whole
force opposing them joining in the retreat that closed the
first disaster on the first great battle field of the war.
The Second, with the rest of the brigade, continued the
retreat until "Washington was reached. After several
days the loss of the regiment was reported to be seven
killed, fifty-six wounded and forty-six prisoners. Of the
latter many were supposed to have died upon the field,
and of those reported killed two returned after a long
SECOND REGIMENT. 137
confinement in rebel prisons. Capt. Hiram Rollins was
severely wounded in the shoulder, in consequence of
which he resigned Oct. 14, 1862.
Early in August the Second moved to Bladensburg,
Md., about four miles from Washington, and with the
First and Eleventh Massachusetts and Twenty-sixth Penn
sylvania, formed a brigade under the command of Gen.
Joseph Hooker. Here they remained about two months,
drilling. and learning the duties of military life. About
the middle of October, Hooker's brigade was ordered to
the lower Potomac, where the rebels had established a
blockade of the river. Sickle's Excelsior brigade ar
rived, and with Hooker's formed a division, of which
Gen. Hooker assumed command, leaving his brigade in
command of Col. Cowdin, of the First Massachusetts
regiment, and the division marched to Budd's Ferry, over
the roughest of roads. They went into winter quarters,
and passed the next few months in building corduroy
roads, erecting comfortable winter quarters, and such
amusements as camp life aiforded. Early in the winter
Gen. Patterson arrived with the Second I^ew Jersey
brigade. About the middle of February Gen. ISTaglee
of Pennsylvania, an accomplished officer, was assigned
to the command of the First Brigade. By reason of his
strict discipline he very soon became unpopular with the
men, who looked upon him as a tryant. He thought the
guard house of the Second Regiment was altogether too
comfortable quarters for prisoners confined there, and
ordered Col. Marston to build a dungeon, without so
much as a crack or an opening anywhere, so that it
should be perfectly dark. The dungeon was built, and
one day Gen. Naglee went over to inspect it, accom
panied by the Colonel. " Where is the entrance," said
the General, "and how do you get anybody into it?"
"O!" said Col. Marston, "that is not my lookout. I
obeyed orders to the letter ! How do you like it ? "
138 THE GREAT REBELLION.
The General made no reply. The dungeon stood just
as it was built until after the regiment left in the spring
for the Peninsula.
On the 5th of April, 1862, the division broke camp,
embarked on board of steamers for the Peninsula,
and joined in the siege of Yorktown. About this time
Gen. Naglee went to another division, and his place was
supplied by Gen. Cuvier Grover, whom all 'soon learned
to respect and love. This was a period of hard work,
erecting fortifications, digging parallels and constructing
corduroy roads and bridges. The parallels which "Wash
ington had built still existed, and mementoes of the rev
olutionary struggle were daily dug out of the soil, such
as bullets, balls and bleaching bones. The site of Corn-
wallis' surrender, marked by a granite stone, was not
accessible then, but was visited by thousands after the
surrender of Yorktown.
Early on the morning of the 4th of May, Yorktown
was abandoned by the enemy, and in an hour after the
evacuation was known Hooker's division was marching
in pursuit of them. So sudden was the movement that
the men had to leave without rations, and were almost
without food for two days. They marched straight
through the deserted town, having first carefully re
moved or marked the position of the torpedoes with
which the ground was thickly planted, and which had
already in some instances exploded and frightfully man
gled the soldiers who stepped upon them. Late in the
afternoon a few wounded cavalrymen, coming to the
rear, announced that the rebels were a little distance
ahead, in line of battle, on the "Williamsburg road. The
division, after a short halt to load their guns, toiled
on into the darkness, over stumps and through
swamps, until midnight, when the men threw them
selves upon the ground to get a little rest for the com
ing contest.
SECOND REGIMENT. 139
THE BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG.
At an early hour, on the morning of the 5th of May,
amid a cold, drizzling rain, the march was resumed, the
men picking their way along the muddy road as "best
they could. Two miles brought them to the enemy's
pickets, who greeted them with a few shots, and dispo
sitions were at once made for a fight. Company B, with
Sharp's rifles, deployed forward as skirmishers, while
the brigade formed in line of battle, with two regiments
on each side of the road. The skirmishers commenced
an advance, followed by the line, engaging the ener
my's skirmishers, struggling through a heavy abattis,
until the edge of the slashing was reached, when they
took cover behind the fallen trees and stumps. In front
was a broad undulating plain, and the spires of Will-
iamsburg were seen in the distance. Between was a
line of small redoubts, the largest called Fort Magruder,
and mounted with guns commanding the road. There
was also a line of rifle pits from each of which came a
fire so well directed that several of our men, though
well covered, were hit. For three hours things remained
in this position, our troops looking for re-enforcements.
At last a regular battery came up the road and took
position in front of the line. The rebel guns at once
opened upon the battery, and the gunners fled without
firing a shot, amid the curses of the whole brigade, from
which a company of volunteer artillerists was organized,
under direction of the officers of the battery, and worked
the guns so effectively that Fort Magruder was soon
silenced. At this point a heavy force of rebels made an
advance against the left of the line, which had been
strengthened by the arrival of the rest of the division,
and the battle commenced in earnest. The troops on
the left fought bravely, but being unsupported gave
way, which rendered the position of the right untenable,
140 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and Grover's brigade fell back to the edge of the woods.
In the woods a skirmish line was formed and a fierce
bushfight ensued, with varied results, for several hours.
During this fight Capt. Leonard Drown, of Company E,
a brave and noble officer, was killed. Lieut. David
Steele, of Company G, with a few men of his company,
encountered a squad of rebels of twice his own number.
He dashed in among them, swinging his sword, and
shouted at the top of his voice : " Surrender, you d — d
scoundrels, or I will blow your brains out ! " They at
once threw down {heir arms and were made prisoners.
The guns at Fort Magruder, being relieved from the
fire of our batteries, opened again, and were replied to
by three Napoleon guns on our side, which poured a
constant fire of grape and canister into the rebel ranks.
Heintzelman, Hooker, and Grover were everywhere
encouraging the men. The division held its ground
until nearly dark, when Kearney arrived with his di
vision, the tide of battle was quickly turned, and the rebels
were driven from the field in confusion. The loss on
the Union side, in this battle, was put down at fifteen
hundred and seventy-five. The Second, from its position
and manner of fighting, suffered less than those regi
ments which, in dense line of battle, were more exposed
to the enemy's fire. Its loss was reported as eighteen
killed, sixty-six wounded, and twenty-three missing.
Capt. Evarts "W. Farr lost his right arm, Lieut. Samuel
0. Burnham was severly wounded, and Capt. Edward
L. Bailey suffered an ugly contusion.
On the 6th the Second buried their dead and marked
the graves the best they could, and cared for the
wounded. The brigade moved near the town, and Gen.
Grover was appointed military governor. They per
formed provost duty there for some time while the rest of
the army moved up the Peninsula. The public build
ings were filled with wounded rebels, who were well
SECOND REGIMENT. 141
attended and cared for by the secessionists of the place.
The brigade was finally relieved by a detachment of
cavalry, and in its turn proceeded up the Peninsula, and
joined the main body at Bottom Bridge, where the
troops were waiting the order to advance. A day or
two afterwards they moved to Poplar Hill, six miles
from Fair Oaks.
THE BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS.
The battle of Fair Oaks commenced on the last day
of May, 1862. On the second day of the fight Gen.
Hooker took the two other brigades of his division and
went to the assistance of Gen. Casey in that fearful bat
tle. Gen. Grover's brigade, meantime, lay in line of
battle, with the bridges of the intervening stream torn
up, and artillery guarding the passage, expecting an
attack ; but the defeat of the rebels by Gen. Sumner
secured them from all danger. On the* 3d of June the
brigade marched to Fair Oaks and relieved the Excel
sior brigade in the trenches, where they remained
twenty-four hours under arms, wet and shivering, with
out fire, surrounded by the putrifying corpses of men
slain in the recent battle ; the enemy's pickets, a few
hundred yards in front, occasionally firing, which now
and then increased almost to a volley, keeping the men
continually on the alert, momentarily expecting a charge.
When they were relieved they went into camp a short
distance to the rear. The warm weather in a few days
caused a horrible stench to arise, which with the hard
labor, the miasma of the swamps and the bad water,
soon seriously affected the health of the men.
The Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment joined the
brigade about the middle of June. On the 23d five
companies of the Second, with a portion of the Six
teenth Massachusetts, drove in the rebel pickets. The
142 THE GREAT REBELLION.
rebels met the attack with a line of battle and re-es
tablished their picket line. Two days later the whole
division went out, and after an obstinate fight forced
back the rebel pickets and placed the Union pickets in
their line. The First Massachusetts opened the attack,
and were followed by company B, of the Second, which
fought desperately, losing twenty-two killed and
wounded out of forty-two taken into the fight, The
whole regiment afterward went in and lost about
seventy men during the day. *
On the 26th and 27th of June were fought, on the
north side of the Chickahominy, the bloody battles of
Mechanicsville and Games' Hill, which resulted in with
drawing the whole army to the south side of the river,
and was the beginning of the memorable " Seven Days'
Fight," and the retreat to the James Eiver.
THE SEVEN DAYS' FIGHT.
On the morning of the 28th of June Gen. Hooker's
division was under arms and on the retreat. Every
article that could not be carried was burned or other
wise destroyed. The retreat was well covered, and be
fore the . next morning the Union forces were safely
across White Oak Swamp, with the bridges over the
creek destroyed. On the morning of the 29th a line of
battle was formed, in a huge semicircle extending from
the Swamp to Charles City Cross Roads, Hooker's di
vision being at the latter place with a strong picket
thrown out toward Richmond, while the enormous
wagon train moved on toward Harrison's Landing.
The enemy came up and engaged the right of the line
during the forenoon, but it was not until three o'clock
in the afternoon that firing commenced on Hooker's
front, when a fierce battle ensued. The Second took a
position in rear of the Massachusetts Sixteenth, and the
SECOND REGIMENT. 143
battle went 011 till night, with varied fortune, when the
Second moved further to the right, ready for an attack.
None came, however. During the night the most hide
ous groans and shrieks were heard, from the wounded
— mostly rebels — between the two contending lines.
Before morning the army was again in motion toward
Malvern Hill, and before sunrise was in position for the
last great battle of the retreat. The enemy soon ap
peared. Heintzelman's corps was posted on the left
center, and as soon as the line was established the men
went to work throwing up intrenchments, and the
Second was soon sheltered behind a nearly bullet-proof
wall of decayed trees and broken limbs. An attack
was made and the battle raged furiously along the right
of the line. Three hundred pieces of artillery, including
heavy siege guns, and those of one or two gunboats on
the river to the left, poured a tremendous fire into the
lines of the advancing rebels, and wherever they made
desperate endeavors to break the Union lines they were
terribly repulsed. While the boys of the Second were
filling the chinks in their breastworks, and making
other preparations to meet an attack, the Surgeon said
to Col. Marston, " Your men have got a good posi
tion." " Yes ; my boys are great on intrenchments,"
replied the Colonel. "Do you think you will be at
tacked ? " " Well, we may be ; they are at it pretty
brisk on the right." " How many men would it take
to drive you out of here?" "How many? Well, six
thousand might, possibly, but five thousand would get
killed doing it." The pluck of the boys would have
made good the Colonel's words, had there been occa
sion to display it. The position of the Second was un-
assailed, and the regiment witnessed- one of the most
magnificent battles of the war.
July 2d the army moved slowly along through rain
and mud towards Harrison's Landing, leaving the enemy
144 THE GREAT REBELLION.
so badly cut up that he could not pursue. On the morn
ing of the 3d a rebel light battery came up and threw a
few shells into the camp of the army; but it was cap
tured shortly after, by a force sent out for that purpose.
Arrived at Harrison's Landing, defensive works were
constructed in a few days that would defy the whole
confederacy, and the troops enjoyed a season of rest.
Gen. Hooker devised a plan for the capture of Malvern
Hill, which was occupied by a few hundred rebels.
This plan being approved by Gen. McClellan, on the
4th of August the expedition set out, and by a circuitous
route reached Charles City Cross Roads. Silence was
enjoined upon the men, and the inhabitants had been
put under guard that they might not carry the news to
the rebels, and thus, without noise the division biv
ouacked for the night, almost within pistol shot of the
enemy's pickets. At early dawn the movement com
menced, and but for the failure of Gen. Patterson to
take possession of the Richmond road, the escape of the
rebels would have been completely cut off. As it was,
they all got away but about a hundred men, and Hooker's
division occupied Malvern Hill. A large force was sent
from Richmond to re-take it, and Hooker was re-enforced
by the divisions of Couch and Sedgwick ; but in compli
ance with orders, two days afterward, the whole force
returned to Harrison's Landing.
On the 16th of August Harrison's Landing was evacu
ated. The division reached Yorktown on the 21st and
embarked on steamers for Alexandria, arriving there on
the 23d. Thus ended the famous Peninsula Campaign,
in which Gen. Hooker's division won an imperishable
fame, and the New Hampshire Second, a part of it, had
its full share of hard marches and bloody battles, mak
ing for itself a most noble record.
While at Alexandria the Second received fifty volun
teer recruits. On the 25th of August the division was
SECOND REGIMENT. 145
placed on freight cars and sent to re-enforce Gen. Pope,
and went into camp at Cedar Creek the next day. On
the 27th the division was on its way back to Manassas
Junction. The rebels were found in line of battle at
Kettle Run, near Bristoe Station, who, after a short bat
tle, retreated toward Manassas, followed by Hooker.
At night the division bivouacked within a mile of the
Junction, where the light of the fires could be seen with
which Gen. Jackson was destroying the stores he had
captured, preparatory to evacuating the place.
SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN.
On the morning of the 28th Reno's division, of Burn-
side's corps, came up, and after a short rest moved on to
Manassas, which the rebels had left for Centerville.
Hooker advanced and bivouacked for the night at
Blackburn's Ford. On the morning of the 29th can
nonading was heard far away at the northwest, indicat
ing that Stonewall Jackson was engaging some part of
the Union force. Hooker at once started with his di
vision for the scene, which he reached about noon.
Grover's brigade was temporarily assigned to Sigel's
command, whose position was in the center of the line.
The scene was familiar to the men, for it was the old bat
tle ground of the first Bull Run, where many of them had
received their initiation into scenes of bloody conflict.
The brigade was massed near the village of Groveton,
and in about two hours was ordered to charge the
enemy in the woods. The first line of rebels lay in a
railroad cut, and with the Second in the center of the
line, the brigade moved forward at the order, steadily
and noiselessly. Suddenly the rattling of thousands of
muskets broke the stillness, and a shower of bullets
tore through the air. Gen. G rover gave the order to
" charge ! " and with a yell every man dashed forward.
146 THE GREAT REBELLION.
In a moment the railroad was carried, and the rebels,
who had delivered their volley in a prostrate position,
were taken prisoners before they had* time to rise. The
brigade dashed on for the second line, which rose and
received them with a volley, but instantly the Second
was in their midst, and the line broke and fled. A
third line of rebels still remained, and the regiment
pressed on, when the line seemed about to break, and
the victory almost gained. The regiments on the right
and left had not advanced so far, owing to greater ob
structions in the ground, and at the very moment when
success seemed ready to crown the assault, the Second
was greeted with a murderous volley from either flank,
and with hardly men enough remaining to form a skirm
ish line, they turned and started for the railroad, barely
escaping capture, and leaving their wounded in the
hands of the enemy. Capt. Joshua F. Littlefleld, of
Company B, a brave officer, was left on the field with
several wounds, and finally died. lie had received the
appointment of Lieut. Colonel of the Eleventh Regi
ment, and though not obliged to do so, chose to accom
pany the regiment and partake in all its dangers until
he left it for his new position. Lieut. Sylvester Rogers,
of Company G, was wounded in the knee and back, and
died while being carried from the field.
Shattered and bleeding, the brigade emerged into the
field whence it started, and was hastily re-formed be
hind a little ridge, to await the counter charge which
was expected. It soon came, and though the enemy
was received with a well-directed volley, and there was
a well sustained fight for a few minutes, yet the deci
mated ranks could not withstand the overwhelming
numbers poured against them, and the line fell back to
the hill on which our batteries were posted. With ex
ulting cheers the rebels followed, but one of the Union
batteries poured in such a deadly fire of grape and
SECOND REGIMENT. 147
canister, that the cheers soon stopped, and the line
melted away as if the ground had opened to swallow it.
The remnant of the brigade was now gathered to
gether by the side of Bull Run Creek, and an estimate
of losses was made. The Second entered the fight with
three hundred and thirty-two men. Of these sixteen
were reported killed, eighty-seven wounded, and
twenty-nine missing. Of the latter by far the greater
number were never heard from. Ten out of twenty-
one commissioned officers were killed or wounded.
Besides those mentioned above, Lieut. Norton R.
Moore, of Company F, was killed; Lieut. John F. Hoi-
man, of Company II. received a terrible wound in the
thigh; Lieut. John D. Cooper, of Company H, was shot
through the lungs, and Lieuts. Ballard, Roberts, Steele,
Young and Gordon, were wounded more or less se
verely. That night the division slept just in the rear
of the Union batteries, on the identical spot where the
Second had formed its line of battle in 1861.
On the afternoon of the 30th, the battle was renewed
against that part of the line held by McDowell, and
soon extended along the whole line. Hooker's division
was called up to repel an attack, which proved to be
only a feint, and was then, ordered to " the other hill."
Every thing seemed to indicate that the second battle
of Bull Run was like the first — a rebel victory.
That night the army fell back to Centerville, in good
order. On the 1st of September the rebels attempted
to get possession of the road between Centerville and
Fairfax, and the divisions of Hooker, Kearney and
Stevens were sent to the threatened point. The battle
of Chantilly ensued, and the rebels were driven back ;
but Kearney and Stevens were both killed. In this bat
tle the Second had no more active part than to cover a
road over which the Union trains were crowding to
wards Washington.
148 THE GREAT REBELLION.
t \
Two days later the division arrived at Alexandria,
and for a time formed a portion of Gen. Banks' forces
in the defenses of Washington, while the rest of the
army was engaged in the movement which terminated
so gloriously at Antietam. Gen. Hooker was assigned
to the command of McDowell's Corps, and the command
of the division devolved upon Gen. Sickles. Gen.
Grover left the brigade for a more important command,
about the same time. The loss of both Hooker and
Grover was deeply regretted by the division. The
camp was removed to Fairfax Seminary, and until the
1st of November the picket and fatigue duty performed
by the regiment was very arduous. At this time the
division was ordered to guard the railroad from Man-
assas to Alexandria, and was much scattered. The
Second was in comfortable quarters at Centerville,
with but light duty to perform, and the time passed
pleasantly.
On the 18th of November the division started for Fal-
mouth, to join the army now commanded by Gen.
Burnside, and arrived there in ten days. Gen. Stone-
man commanded the corps, and a new division, under
Gen. "Whipple, had been added to it, while the corps
was assigned to the Central Grand Division of the army
commanded by Gen. Hooker.
THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
The object of the concentration of troops at Falmouth
was to take Fredericksburg, on the opposite side of the
Rappahannock river. Gen. Burnside's plan of attack
was laid before the President, Gen. Halleck and the
Secretary of War, and approved by them. The rebels
expected our army would cross at a different point, and
therefore this one was not as strongly guarded as it
otherwise would have been. On the night of the 10th
SECOND REGIMENT. 149
of December the work of laying pontoon bridges across
the river was commenced and two-thirds completed,
when daylight appeared and the rebels discovered what
was going on. Their sharpshooters at once opened upon
our engineer party from the houses, and the men fell
dead as fast as they took their stand upon the boats.
Attempts were made to dislodge the sharpshooters by
our riflemen, but in vain. They were too well pro
tected. One hundred and forty pieces of our artillery
opened from the Falmouth side of the river upon the
part of the town from which the sharpshooting pro
ceeded. This had no effect, and it was evident that the
bridges could not be completed until they were in some
way dislodged.
The Michigan Seventh volunteered for the hazardous
duty of crossing the river in boats to dislodge the rebel
sharpshooters. They were watched by thousands as
they rowed across the river, and many of the men were
shot. But they gained the shore, gallantly charged up
the steep slope, drove the rebels out of the rifle pits and
out of the buildings fronting the water. The Nine
teenth and Twentieth Massachusetts followed the Mich
igan regiment, and they together held the ground until
the bridges were completed. While this was going on
the rebels were concentrating their forces at Fredericks-
burg.
In the afternoon the division crossed the river at the
lower bridge and lay in the streets of the town. On the
13th, the day of the main assault, the Second, with sev
eral other regiments, was assigned to the duty of guard
ing the bridges and to keep men from crossing the river
and shirking their duty. About midnight they were
relieved and joined the brigade at the front, within
range of the enemy's pickets. A battery was brought
up and commenced shelling the brigade, when Company
B, with its Sharp's rifles, was sent to shoot the gunners
150 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and horses. The battery, after the loss of a few men,
retired.
The rebels were very strongly intrenched upon the
bights back of the town, and many abortive attempts
were made to dislodge them. The fighting upon the
left was furious, and during the charge made by one of
our brigades an entire North Carolina regiment was
taken prisoners. During a furious artillery duel, in
which the New Hampshire battery was hotly engaged
and lost several men, Gen. Bayard, the youngest gen
eral in the service, was killed.
At one time Gen. Meade's division made a most gal
lant charge, reaching the very crest of the hill. They
drove two of Hill's brigades back upon their second line
of defenses and captured several hundred prisoners. For
a time it seemed as if the battle was in our favor, but a
large body of rebel infantry came rushing down from
their second line of defenses and bore our brave charg
ing lines before them. The day was lost, and thousands
of our soldiers lay dead upon the hills. The rebel works
were still unbroken and swarming with men. The bat
tle of Fredericksburg was over. During this contest
about a dozen of the men of the Second Regiment were
wounded, but none fatally.
The next afternoon a council of generals was held at
Gen. Burnside's headquarters, and after much discussion
it was decided to retreat across the river, under the cover
of darkness. Late on the afternoon of the 15th the order
to re-cross the river was given, which was accomplished
during the night, without disaster. The night was so
dark and rainy that the movements of our army could
not be seen, and so windy that the rumbling of our trains
could not be heard by the enemy.
The last of January Gen. Burnside was relieved from
the command of the army, and Gen. Hooker put in
his place. Grand divisions were abolished, and corps
SECOND REGIMENT. 151
badges were adopted; that of the Third being a diamond
or lozenge, with red, white and blue colors for the re
spective divisions, in their order.
On the 26th of February the Second Regiment was
ordered to report to Gen. Wool, commanding the de
partment of the East. At Boston the regiment was
most heartily welcomed and feasted and toasted at Fan-
euil Hall. At Manchester the men met a most warm
and gratifying reception. They were escorted to Smyth's
Hall, where tables were profusely spread with eatables.
The galleries were filled with ladies and friends of the
men in the regiment. Mayor Theodore T. Abbott wel
comed the regiment in a feeling and appropriate speech,
which was responded to by Lieut. Colonel Bailey. After
the eating had been finished Hon. Frederick Smyth was
introduced as toast-master, when sentiments and short
speeches, by men of the regiment and citizens, followed.
The next day the regiment was received at Concord, by
a grand procession, dinner at the hotels and speeches of
welcome. Gen. "Wool was there to add to the interest
of the occasion.
The headquarters of the regiment were established at
Concord, while Companies D, E and K, were sent to
Fort Constitution, Portsmouth harbor. The men were
granted furloughs to visit their homes, many of whom
did not return until long after their time had expired.
The Seventeenth regiment, numbering about one hund
red and fifty men, was consolidated with the Second, the
officers having been first discharged. Col. Marston was
promoted to Brigadier General, and Lieut. Colonel
Bailey, Major Carr and Capt. Sayles were promoted to
fill the vacancies consequent on this promotion.
On the 25th of May, 1863, the regiment left the State
for Washington, arriving there 011 the 28th, .where it
remained until the llth of June, when it moved and
joined the army of the Potomac at Ilartwood Church,
152 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and was assigned to the Jersey Brigade, to which it was
attached as long as it remained with the army of the
Potomac.
THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
The brigade arrived at Emmettshurg on the first of
July, and encamped for the night, having heard firing
all the afternoon in the direction of Gettysburg. At
two o'clock on the morning of the 3d, the brigade set off
and reached the scene of action early in the forenoon,
and joined its corps. The brigade was commanded by
Col. Berlin. It moved up the slope into the open field,
when a rebel battery opened upon it with shell, one piece
hitting the color-staff of the Second Regiment, wound
ing several of the color-guard. The brigade was with
drawn to a grove, while a battery went into position and
rapidly replied to the rebel guns, and which the brigade
was ordered to support. On the crest of the ridge, in a
peach orchard, was a battery of six Napoleon guns,
which kept up a spirited response to the rebels who
were pouring shell and spherical case into our lines with
murderous effect. The Second was ordered to report to
Gen. Graham, commanding a brigade in Gen. Birney's
division, and by him ordered to the rear of this battery
as a support. After the position was taken the roll of
the Second was called, and only eight men were found
absent from their places. The regiment was exposed to a
more terrific artillery fire than it ever experienced before
or since. The air was filled with the missiles of death and
the leaves and branches of the peach trees were shorn as
if by a tornado. The brave gunners did not flinch,
though every discharge of the enemy's guns dealt death
to their ranks or mowed down the ranks of the support
ing regiment. Some shells came along the ground so
closely as to wound half a dozen men at a time. Others
SECOND REGIMENT. 153
exploded as they struck the cartridge-hoxes, and the
cartridges, set on fire, blew up like so many Chinese
crackers. The conflict was going on vigorously from
Round Top, on the left, to Cemetery Hill, on the right,
increasing in strength and fury toward the point where
the rebels were striving with every human effort to turn
our left. Thus the battle proceeded until half-past four
in the afternoon, when this battery was relieved by a
regular battery of rifled guns, which was served with
much less spirit than its predecessor. The enemy's fire
at once increased, their infantry began to show them
selves from behind the woods, and at their advance our
skirmishers came pouring in. So threatening was the
attack that the Lieutenant of the battery spiked his
guns in expectation of their capture. At this point Col.
Bailey asked permission to charge with the Second and
check this advance, which was granted, and the men
sprang to their feet with a loud shout, passed the bat
tery, and drove the advancing enemy back to their lines,
taking up a position on the Emmettsburg road. Here
it was exposed to the enemy's artillery at short range,
and to the fire of the line it had just driven, which had
taken shelter in a ravine. Two rebel regiments com
menced to advance by the flank across the field in front,
but these were speedily forced to flee in confusion. A
brigade then advanced in line opposite the Sixty-third
Pennsylvania, which was formed on the right of the
Second, and no fire seemed able to check them. Some
of Company B's men, who were wounded, took a posi
tion behind an old farm house and poured a lively fire
into the advancing ranks, aiming especially at their
colors. Still it came on and the Sixty-third gave way.
The regiment on the left also faced about and retreated,
upon which the Second was in its turn compelled to
retire. The ground was thickly strewn with dead and
wounded of both sides. Gen. Graham was wounded
154 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
and taken prisoner, and Gen. Sickles, who rode up amid
the terrific storm, had his leg shattered by a shell, and
was carried from the field.
The rebels gained a temporary advantage at this point
in the line. The Third corps had been overborne by
vastly superior numbers, when the gallant old Sixth
Corps, out of breath and weary with a long march, but
fresh in courage and spirit, made its appearance and
pressed forward to take the place of the shattered and
bleeding Third. The rebel force was hurled back, the
lost ground recovered, and the sun went down on the
second day of that gallant fight, with the rebel army
beaten at every point, and the tide of secession through
out the country at its ebb.
When the Second Regiment rejoined its brigade it
was but a sad remnant of what it had been a few hours
earlier, when its roll was called, just before entering into
the fight. Then twenty-four officers and three hundred
and thirty men answered to their names. Of this num
ber nineteen were known to have been killed; one
hundred and thirty-six were wounded, and thirty-eight
were missing, lying dead or wounded on the field, or
prisoners in the hands of the enemy, making a total of
one hundred and ninety-three, out of three hundred and
fifty-four, or about three-fifths of the number engaged.
All of the field officers were wounded; Major Sayles
severely, with a bullet through his thigh, and left in the
hands of the enemy, though so disabled that they did
not carry him away; Capt. Metcalf and Lieut. Roberts
were killed ; Lieuts. Ballard and Dascomb died of their
wounds within a few days ; Capt. Hubbard was shot in
the forehead and wandered into the rebel lines, where
he die'd and was buried by some brother Masons ; Lieut.
Yickery was badly wounded, remained in the hands of
the rebels till they retreated, arid died on the 8th of
July; Lieut. Patch was wounded in the abdomen, and
SECOND REGIMENT. 155
died on the 10th of July ; Lieuts. Perkins and Converse
each lost an arm, and eight other officers were more or
less wounded.
On the 3d there was hard fighting on the right,
and the enemy made desperate attempts to break our
lines at different points; but the Jersey Brigade lost no
men. On the 4th, in the midst of a drenching rain, the
men collected and brought in the wounded and buried
the dead. It was a scene which will not soon be forgot
ten by those who participated in or witnessed it.
The rebels started for the Potomac, and Gen. Meade,
who was appointed to the command of the army on the
eve of the battle of Gettysburg, followed in pursuit,
bringing the enemy to bay at Williamsport, before they
could escape across the river. Our cavalry harassed
the retreating column of the enemy, took and destroyed
a portion of their pontoon train and captured several
hundred prisoners. Gen. Meade ordered a charge on
the evening of the 12th, which was to be executed the
next morning at daylight, but in consequence of a dense
fog it was delayed, and when the advance was finally
commenced the enemy had made good their retreat.
On the 17th the division crossed the Potomac at Har
per's Ferry, and thence followed the valley east of the
Blue Ridge, with the rest of the army, while Lee moved
up the valley of the Shenandoah. On the 26th the
Second marched to Warrenton, where it was met by
Gen. Marston, who had full authority to form a brigade
of the Second, Fifth and Twelfth New Hampshire regi
ments, for duty at Point Lookout, where the Govern
ment was about to establish a general depot for prisoners
of war. On the 2d of August Gen. Marston formally
assumed command of the district of St. Mary's, in which
Point Lookout was included. Twenty men from the
Second and Twelfth were detailed as mounted scouts,
whose duty was to scour the country, look out for con-
156 THE GREAT REBELLION.
traband trade and prevent communication of the inhabit
ants with the enemy. These were .pleasant days for
the three !N"ew Hampshire Eegiments. Capt. J. N".
Patterson, of the Second, was appointed Provost Mar
shal of the District, and Capt. George E. Sides was an
assistant in the same department, having immediate
charge of the camp.
The prisoners were divided into companies of a
hundred each, with one of their number selected as a
sergeant in command. They had comfortable shelter,
plenty of palatable food and ample accommodations for
cooking, and all sanitary measures were carefully at
tended to. Many attempts were made by individuals
to escape, and in February, 1864, an organized con
spiracy to overpower the guard and break camp was
discovered in season to frustrate it. But few succeeded
in escaping. Applications to take the oath of allegiance
and go north were frequent. Many of the prisoners
desired to enlist in our army and navy, and two regi
ments were organized, known as the First and Second
United States Volunteers, and officered by men promoted
from the Second and other regiments in the district.
These regiments afterward did good service at Norfolk,
Ya., and in Colorado, where they were sent against
the Indians. Several also enlisted in the Second, and
proved as brave and true soldiers as any who ever
served under its colors.
On the 24th of February, 1864, the re-enlisted vet
erans of the Second left Point Lookout for JSTew Hamp
shire on furlough for twenty days. On the 4th of April
Gen. Hinks relieved Gen. Marston in command of the
district, and on the 7th the Second started again for the
Peninsula and reached Yorktown the next day. In
three days over a hundred of the substitutes, who joined
the regiment at Point Lookout, deserted, a majority of
SECOND REGIMENT. 157
whom were captured and two of them tried, and shot
on the 15th. This prompt action effectually checked
desertions from the Second.
The Second and .Twelfth New Hampshire and the
One Hundred and Forty-eighth New York were brig
aded together, under command of Gen. Wistar, and
assigned to the Eighteenth Corps, commanded hy Gen.
W. F. Smith. On the 22d of April the brigade moved
to "Williamsburg, and remained there until the 4th of
May, when it marched to James River and embarked
for Bermuda Hundred. On the 8th of May a general
advance \vas made toward Petersburg, and a consider
able portion of the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad
was destroyed. In this expedition the Second Regi
ment had one man killed and six wounded.
On the 12th another advance was made, this time in
the direction of Fort Darling. The rebels were steadily
pressed back until our army confronted the outworks of
the Fort. The Tenth Corps charged and captured the
enemy's works upon the left, while the riflemen of the
Eighteenth drove the rebels from those upon the right,
commanding the telegraph pike to Richmond. Gen.
Hickman's brigade formed the extreme right of the
line, and to its left was Gen. "Wistar's brigade, across
the pike, where a battery was posted upon the reverse
side of the captured rebel works. Three hundred
yards to the front was a strong rebel fort from which
floated two flags. A half dozen log barracks just out
side were occupied by rebel sharpshooters, who were
driven from their cover by our skirmishers, who kept
up such a fire from behind the logs and stumps, close
under the fort, that not a head appeared along the whole
rebel line. On the 14th and 15th the Second erected a
breastwork of logs, in front of which, from stump to
stump, telegraph wires were strung just high enough
to trip an advancing enemy. Beauregard had concen-
158 THE GREAT REBELLION.
trated his troops about Fort Darling. On the morning
of the 16th a dense fog prevailed, and under its cover
the rebels prepared for a grand charge to drive back
the besiegers of the fort. Their lines were silently
formed outside the works, and an attack was made
upon the extreme right to turn that flank of our army.
There were several companies, composed of young men,
sent from Richmond for the emergency, who were
brought directly opposite the line of the Second Regi
ment. When the mass of the charging rebels burst into
sight they were met by a volley from the rifles of the
regiment which had a terrible effect upon the ranks,
while those who were left to advance were thrown to
the ground, line after line, in windrows, by the telegraph
wires upon the stumps, when the men of the Second
leaped over their breastworks and used their rifles with
the most deadly effect. In their desperation the rebels
renewed the attack, with the same results. The ground
in front of the breastworks of the regiment was literally
coved with the rebel de-ad. The number killed in front
of the Second's line was estimated at two thousand,
while a rebel Lieutenant, who was taken prisoner, ad
mitted it to be eighteen hundred, and said that the wire
arrangement was " a d — d rascally contrivance." The
Second lost but four men killed and fourteen wounded.
Capt. James II. Platt, of Company E, was among the
killed.
While Gen. Wistar's brigade was repulsing the enemy
so handsomely, a strong force marched clear around Gen.
Hickman's brigade, and suddenly poured in a volley
from the rear. The brigade was very badly crushed,
the men slaughtered, and the General wounded and taken
prisoner. The right was thus turned, and the Second
ordered to fall back, but again advanced and occupied
fhe breastworks until the whole line was withdrawn and
a new one established a short distance to the rear. The
SECOND REGIMENT. 159
remainder of the day was passed in skirmishing with the
enemy, and at night the army withdrew to Bermuda
Hundred, was placed in a state of siege, and strong for
tifications erected. The Tenth Corps were almost con
stantly fighting with the enemy, and the Eighteenth
Corps frequently turned out and formed behind their
works. On the 20th a severe fight was had over some
of our advanced rifle-pits, in which the rebel Major Gen.
"Walker was severely wounded and captured.
On the 27th the division deserted the works, crossed
the Appomattox on pontoon bridges, and marched to
City Point, and on the 1st of June joined Gen. Grant's
great Army of the Potomac.
BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR.
On the 1st of June the division of which the Second
Regiment formed a part, guarded a wagon train to Gen.
Grant's headquarters, and immediately pushed on to
where the Sixth Corps was skirmishing with the enemy,
about a mile beyond. The division was marched rapidly
down the road, and precipitated into the fight. The
Second, though not actively engaged, was under a heavy
artillery fire, and lost several men. At early dawn on
the 2d, the division advanced through the works behind
which it had lain, and formed in the woods. Wistar's
brigade was closed in mass by battalions, the Second
being the fifth regiment in the column, and the Twelfth
leading. The order to advance was given, and as the
brigade emerged from the wood it was met by a terrible
fire of artillery and musketry. The column dashed for
ward half the distance, when the Twelfth halted. The
three intervening regiments broke, and the Second was
thrown into confusion. The lines were again formed
under cover of the woods, and the men threw them
selves on the ground, and with hands, knives and bayo-
160 THE GREAT REBELLION.
nets, threw up little mounds of earth, for their protection,
which were afterward elaborated into serviceable rifle-
pits. Men were continually being wounded under the
constant fire of the enemy. Capt. George W. Gordon
was struck on the top of the head, and died an hour
afterward. Capt. William H. Smith was shot through
both legs, and died on the 7th. Lieut. Henry Hay ward,
while using the rifle of one of his men, was pierced
through the neck with a bullet, and lived but a few hours.
Sergeant Major M. L. F. Smith was shot through both
thighs, and died in dreadful agony. The entire loss of
the regiment during the day was seventy, and of these
many had only a few days longer to serve. This was
the last battle of the original Second New Hampshire,
and it was fierce and severe enough to fitly crown three
years of active service.
On the morning of the 8th the original men • of the
regiment who had not re-enlisted took leave of their
comrades and departed for New Hampshire, arriving at
Concord on the 17th, and were mustered out of service
on the 21st.
About two hundred and fifty men, including those
who had re-enlisted, and the recruits who had joined
the regiment since its first organization, with Capt. J.
N. Patterson in command, remained in the trenches at
Cold Harbor. There were still upon the rolls of the
regiment six hundred and sixty names, which, though
not sufficient to admit of the muster of a Colonel, al
lowed the organization of ten companies to be retained.
The muster of the other regimental officers, and the
old organization and numerical designation were con
tinued. Capt. J. N. Patterson was appointed Lieut. Col
onel and Adjutant John D. Cooper, Major.
On the 9th of June the regiment was detached from
the brigade and assigned to duty at the Eighteenth
Corps headquarters. On the 12th the corps broke
SECOND REGIMENT. 161
camp and marched to White House Landing, where
the Second embarked for Broadway Landing, on the
Appomattox. On the 16th, by order of Gen. Butler, it
reported to Gen. Turner, and in company with other
troops went on a reconnoisance, drove in the enemy's
pickets, destroying two or three miles of the track of
the Petersburg and Richmond railroad, captured and
destroyed the camp of a North Carolina brigade, and
marched back to Bermuda Hundred without loss.
The Second Regiment did duty at the corps head
quarters until the 13th of August, when it was assigned
to the First Brigade, First Division, Eighteenth Corps,
Col. Aaron F. Stevens, Thirteenth New Hampshire,
commanding, and was stationed in the trenches, on the
right of the line, in front of Petersburg, where it was
constantly under fire, and lost men every day, although
there was no serious fighting.
On the 26th of August the Eighteenth Corps left
Petersburg, crossed the Appomattox at Point of Rocks,
and occupied the line of works, the Second taking its
position in rear of Battery Sawyer, where it remained
till September 1st, when it was ordered to proceed to
"Wilson's Landing, on the James River, and reported to
Gen. Marston, then commanding the defenses of the
James from City Point to Fortress Monroe. Here the
regiment made many excursions into the enemy's coun
try, and destroyed much property that was of value to
the Confederate Government. On the 21st Major
Cooper, with one hundred men, convoyed by a gun
boat, went up the Chickahominy river, and destroyed
a steam mill, in full working order. The detachment
returned the next day, bringing with them over fifty
thousand feet of lumber. Guerillas occasionally made
their appearance and fired upon the party from the
banks of the river, but inflicted no injury. On the
morning of the 27th, at three o'clock, Lieut. Col. Pat-
162 THE GREAT REBELLION.
terson, with the Second, fifty men of the Sixteenth
New York Heavy Artillery and twenty colored cavalry,
left Wilson's Landing on board a large barge, towed by
the gunboat Mosswood, proceeded up the Chickahom-
iny to Hogg Neck, on the left bank of the river, where
the party disembarked. The order was " to push into
the country four or five miles, and sweep down to Bar-
nett's Ferry, near the mouth of the river, gathering
such horses, mules, cattle and sheep as might be useful
to the army, and take along such colored men and their
families as desired to come into our lines." Soon after
landing a colored boy was found who was perfectly ac
quainted with that section of country, and he was taken
along as guide. The force marched to Centerville, ten
miles, halted for dinner, after which it marched to Gum
Springs, James City County, and camped for the night.
The next morning the command marched in the direc
tion of Barnett's Ferry, passing several fertile farms,
well stocked with cattle and sheep, of which they col
lected and drove to the Ferry one hundred and fifty,
and embarked for Wilson's Landing, where they arrived
in the evening, without loss or accident. Gen. Marstori
complimented the command very highly for the manner
in which they had accomplished the objects of the expe
dition, remarking that his command had captured their
share of the twenty-five hundred head of cattle which
were stolen a few days before by Lee's Cavalry, below
City Point.
On the 1st of October orders were received to proceed
to Aiken's Landing, on the north side of the James, and
report to Gen. Weitzel, commanding the Eighteenth
Corps; and on the same evening the regiment em
barked under command of Major Cooper, Gen. Marston
having been relieved and ordered to turn over his com
mand to the most experienced officer, and Lieut. Col.
Patterson, though not the ranking officer present, was
SECOND REGIMENT.
ordered to remain in command of the first separate brig
ade. On arrival at Aiken's Landing the regiment was
assigned to the Third Brigade of its old division. On
the 14th Lieut. Col. Patterson rejoined the regiment
and took command of the brigade. On the 27th the
Second took part in the reconnoisance made by the
Eighteenth Corps, on the extreme right of the line, near
the Williamsburg road, meeting the enemy in strong
force, when some heavy skirmishing took place, in
which the Second lost a few men.
About the middle of November the Army of the
James was reorganized. The white troops of the
Tenth and Eighteenth Corps were consolidated and
called the Twenty-fourth, Major Gen. John Gibbon in
command ; and all the colored troops of the two corps
were designated as the Twenty-fifth Corps, under Major
Gen. Weitzel. The Second was assigned to the Third
Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-fourth Corps, com
manded by Col. Guy Y. Henry, of the Fortieth Mas
sachusetts. The brigade went into comfortable winter
quarters, with plenty of wood and water, and remained
there, with no important occurrence except an occa
sional alarm on the picket line, or a flank movement
of the enemy on the right, until March 3d, 1865, when
the brigade, now commanded by Brevet Brig. Gen.
Roberts, received orders to report to Lieut. Gen. Grant,
for secret service.
During the winter the Second received two detach
ments of recruits, Lieut. Col. Patterson was promoted
to Colonel, and Major Cooper to Lieut. Colonel, and
much attention had been paid to company, regimental
and brigade drill. The discipline of the brigade was
such that it was acknowledged to be the best in the
Army of the James. Weekly inspections were insti
tuted by the corps commander, at which the best regi
ment was excused from all outside duty for a week, and
164 THE GREAT REBELLION.
it was ordered that the neatest soldier in the division
should receive a twenty days' furlough. At several in
spections the Second was announced as the best regi
ment in the brigade, and several members had received
furloughs as being the neatest and best soldiers in the
division.
On the 4th of March the brigade left its pleasant,
home-like camp with many regrets, for a inarch to Deep
Bottom Landing, there to await transports and further
orders. The march was six miles, through mud knee-
deep and a heavy rain. After a few hours' delay the brig
ade embarked on board transports and about noon the
next day arrived at Fortress Monroe. For several days
after its arrival at Fortress Monroe, the brigade was
engaged in raids into the enemy's country, collecting
cattle, horses, mules, sheep, tobacco and other produc
tions, destroying rebel property and harassing the
enemy, in which the Second bore a part, without meet
ing with any loss of men. While on a raid, having
landed at Point Lookout, a special messenger arrived
from Gen. Grant, with orders to the officers in com
mand of the expedition to proceed to White House
Landing, on the Pamunkey river, and establish there
a base of supplies for Sheridan's army, which had been
traveling over the enemy's country for the previous
three weeks, and was then on its way to the left of
Gen. Grant's line. The command arrived at White
House on the 14th of March, and it being the day of
the New Hampshire election, the Second voted for
members of Congress. Sherman's army arrived on
the 18th, men and horses jaded and tired, and remained
there for rest until the 24th.
Orders were received for the brigade to march back
to the camp vacated by them on the 4th, a distance of fifty
miles, and the line of march was taken, with Sherman's
army in advance. The old camp was found to be occu-
SECOND HEGIMENT. 165
pied by a portion of the Twenty-fifth Corps, which had
been withdrawn from the front. All the troops in the
Army of the James being ordered by Gen. Grant to the
left of the line at Petersburg, excepting the Third Di
vision, Twenty-fourth Corps, and one division of the
Twenty-fifth, which were to hold the lines, and to advance
upon Richmond the moment Lee's lines were broken.
The Second, being in the Third Division, was ordered
to occupy Signal Hill.
On the 1st and 2d of April, terrific cannonading could
be distinctly heard from the left, one continuous roar of
artillery for hours, from which it was evident that Grant
would no longer remain idle around Petersburg, and the
morning of the 3d told surely of his success on the left,
and of wonderful doings in front. The explosion of gun
boats and arsenals at Richmond was distinctly heard by
the troops on the north of the James. The sun had for
the last time risen upon the rebel capital.
The division immediately broke camp and started for
Richmond, over abandoned rebel lines and forts, and an
uninterrupted march of a few hours found the Second
on the outskirts of the city, black with smoke and cin
ders from the fire then raging at its highest fury. The
scene was wild and magnificent beyond description. " On
to Richmond ! " had at last been accomplished, and the
fury of the flames that morning looked as though there
ought never to be but ashes remain of that " impregna
ble city," the capital of the so-called " Southern Confed
eracy."
After a few days the Second moved into one of the
forts overlooking the city. On the 25th the brigade
crossed the river to Manchester, and encamped two
miles from Richmond, on the road leading to the Cum
berland coal mines. On the 21st of June the Tenth,
Twelfth and Thirteenth New Hampshire regiments were
mustered out of the United States service and left for
166 THE GREAT REBELLION.
home. The recruits, whose term of service did not ex
pire prior to September 30th, about four hundred, were
transferred to the Second, thus making the aggregate
of the regiment nine hundred strong. Lieut. Col. J. N.
Patterson was mustered as Colonel, Major John D.
Cooper as Lieut. Colonel, and Capt. Levi N. Converse
as Major. About one half of the regiments of the Third
Division had been mustered out of service, and the re
mainder were formed into two independent brigades,
and Col. Patterson was assigned to the command of the
Second Brigade.
On the 10th of July the Division was broken up, and
the various regiments assigned to the different sub-
districts into which Virginia had been divided. Col.
Patterson was assigned to Northern Neck division,
which embraced King George, "Westmoreland, Rich
mond, Northumberland and Lancaster counties, with
headquarters at Warsaw. Companies A, F, and H,
were left at Fredericksburg as provost guard, and the
other seven companies went to Warsaw. To each of
the counties of Col. Patterson's district one company
was sent, the commanding officer of the company acting
as provost marshal of the county, and assistant agent of
the Freedman's Bureau. On the 22d of August another
sub-district was consolidated with Col. Patterson's, and
he was continued as commander of the whole.
On the 30th of October, Lieut. Col. John D. Cooper
died of disease, at Baltimore, Md. He was one of the
original members of the regiment, having enlisted as a
private in the Goodwin Rifles, afterwards known as
Company B, at Concord, in April, 1861. He rose by
merit alone to the rank he held when he died. He was
one of the bravest men in the regiment, and enjoyed the
respect and confidence of all its members, as well as of
a large circle of acquaintances in New Hampshire.
On the 2d of December the Second started for City
SECOND REGIMENT. 167
Point to be mustered out of the United States service,
which took place on the 19th, and on the 21st started
for ISTew Hampshire. At Nashua, Manchester and other
stations on their route the men were greeted with long
and hearty cheers. They reached Concord at nine
o'clock on the evening of the 23d, and marched to the
hotels where a bounteous repast awaited them. On
Monday, the 25th, a formal reception was given the
regiment by Governor Frederick Smyth, and they
marched through the principal streets of the city,
escorted by the State Militia and the Veterans, who
once had the honor of serving under its tattered ban
ners. Arriving opposite the State House, after being
reviewed by the Governor, speeches were made by Gov
ernor Smyth, Ex-Governor Gilmore, Adjutant Gen.
Natt Head, Col. Walter Harriman, and Col. Peter San-
born, which were handsomely and feelingly replied to
by Col. Patterson. On Tuesday the 26th, the men were
paid off and discharged. ~No New Hampshire Regiment
was so long in the service, and none left a more honor
able record for bravery and good conduct throughout
the war than the Second.
The roll of the Second Regiment, during its organiza
tion, contained more than three thousand names. Every
regiment but two from the State was supplied, in part,
with officers from its ranks ; and more than thirty regi
ments in the field had upon their rosters names of men
that were once, identified with it. It marched more than
six thousand miles, participated in more than twenty
pitched battles, and lost in action upwards of one thou
sand men.
t
The notice of the Second Regiment should not be
closed without a mention of Miss Harriet P. Dame.
She was connected with it, near or remote, during its
whole term of service. Wherever the wounded, sick
168 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and suffering were, Miss Dame was always found, doing
cheerfully her utmost for their relief. Many officers
and enlisted men owe their lives to Ifler unremitting care.
Major Sayles, who was shot through the leg at Gettys
burg, and Captains Perkins and Converse, who each
lost an arm, say that through her exertions their lives
were saved. She attended as kindly and carefully to
privates who needed her care, as to officers of the
highest rank, and is remembered by all with the affec
tion due a mother or sister.
Much of the fame enjoyed by this regiment is due to
the energy and zeal of General Gilman Marston. Al
though he was promoted to Brigadier General, and as
signed to duty away from the regiment, he left it with
regret and watched its fortunes with an unusual interest.
A very strong attachment existed between him and his
first command, from the commencement to the close of
the war.
THIRD REGIMENT. 169
THIRD REGIMENT.
This was the second regiment raised in the State un
der the call of the President for three years troops. It
was recruited, as the two preceding regiments had been,
throughout the State, though Manchester furnished
three companies. On the 31st of July, 1861, an order
was issued by the Governor offering a bounty of ten dol
lars to be paid to each man who had, or might thereafter
enlist and be mustered into the Third Regiment. The
same order was carried into effect in recruiting for other
regiments subsequently enlisted.
The men rendezvoused at Camp Berry, Concord, early
in August, and between the 22d and 26th the companies
were all mustered into the United States service, by Ma
jor Seth Eastman, of the regular army, consisting often
hundred and forty-seven officers and men, including a
regimental band of twenty-four pieces, under the leader
ship of Gustavus W. Ingalls, of Concord.
The following were the commissioned officers and the
non-commissioned staff of the regiment during its term
of service, and their record, as gathered from the Adju
tant General's books, and from other sources.
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Enoch Q. Fellows, of Sandwich.
Resigned June 26, 1862.
John II. Jackson, of Portsmouth.
Wounded slightly July 18, 1863. Honorably discharged Feb. 24, 1864
John Bedel, of Bath.
Parolled as prisoner of war, Dec. 0, 1864. Appointed Brigadier General U.
B. Vols., by Brevet, for gallant and meritorious services, to date from March
13, 1865. Mustered out as Colonel, July 20, 1865.
Lieut, Colonel — John II. Jackson, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Colonel, June 27, 1862
170 THE GREAT REBELLION.
John Bedel, of Bath.
Wounded July 10, 1863. Captured at Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863. Pro
moted to Colonel while prisoner of war, April 6, 1^64.
Josiah I. Plimpton, of Milford.
Killed at Deep Run, Va., Aug. 16, 1864.
James F. Randlett, of Nashua.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Majors — John Bedel, of Bath.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel, June 27, 1862.
Josiah I. Plimpton, of Milford.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel, April 6, 1864.
James F. Randlett, of Nashua.
Wounded severely May 14, 1864. Promoted to Lieut. Col. Oct. 12, 1864.
William H. Trickey, of Wolfeborough.
Wounded slightly June 19, 1865. Wounded accidentally April 4, 1865.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Adjutants — Alfred J. Hill, of Portsmouth.
Resigned April 14, 1862.
Alvin H. Libby, of Manchester.
Killed at Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863.
ElbHdge J. Copp, of Nashua.
Wounded severely May 13, 1864. Wounded severely Aug. 16 1864. Mus
tered out Oct. 16, 1864.
Samuel N. Jackson, of Nashua.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Quartermasters — Arthur S. Nesmith, of Franklin.
Resigned Nov. 15, 1862.
John R. Haynes, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain, and A. Q. M., F. S. Vols. Sept. 20, 1864.
George B. Bingham, of Nashua.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Surgeons — Albert A. Moulton, of Concord.
Resigned Nov. 15, 1862.
Andrew J. H. Buzzell, of Dover.
Appointed Lieut. Colonel U. S. Vols., by Brevet, for gallant and meritorious
conduct at the storming of Fort Fisher, N. C., to date from March 13, 1865.
Died of disease at Wilmington, N. C., March 28, 1865.
Frank B. Kimball, of Dover.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Assistant Surgeons — Benjamin F. Eaton, of Hanover.
Resigned Oct. 1, 1862
Andrew J. H. Buzzell, of Dover.
Promoted to Surgeon, Nov. 17, 1862,
Charles A. Burnham.
Honorably discharged Sept. 22, 1864.
THIRD REGIMENT. 171
Daniel Farrar, of Troj.
Resigned May 4, 1863.
Frank B. Kimball, of Dover.
Promoted to Surgeon April 20, 1865,
George W. Manter, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Chaplain — Henry Hill, of Manchester.
Mustered out Aug. 26, 1864.
Sergeant Majors — Thomas M. Jackson, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Dec. 16, 1861.
Elbridge J. Copp, of Nashua.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 1, 1863.
"William L. Dodge, of Hampton.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 4, 1864.
George F. Lord, of Newmarket.
Resigned warrant and transferred to Company B, March 10, 1864.
John H. Thing, of Exeter.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1864.
Marquis L. Holt, <3f Nelson.
Promoted to Second Lieut. April 6, 1865
Thomas Smith.
Mustered out July 20, 1865
Quartermaster Sergeants — C. F. Brainard, of Keene.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Nov. 17, 1862
Yarnum H. Hill, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain and A. Q. M. Vols., May 19, 1864.
George B,. James, of Hampton.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 24, 1865.
William A. Swallow, of Nashua.
Mustered out June 26, 1865.
John Clark, of Keene.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — George H. Miner.
Mustered out Oct. 4, 1864.
George B. Bingham, of Nashua.
Promoted Regimental Q. M., Nov. 9^1864.
Charles H. Berry, of Claremont.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — Moody Sawyer, of Concord.
Discharged for disability at Hilton Head, S. C., Sept 9, 1862.
Perry Kittredge, of Concord.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1864.
Albert D. Scovell, of Walpole.
Mustered out July 20, 1865,
172 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Principal Musicians — Harrison B. "Wing, of Manchester-
Discharged for disability at Hilton Head, S. C., Sept. 7, 1863.
John L. Randall of Deerfield?
Discharged for disability May 10, 1862.
Michael E. A. Galvin, of Manchester.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1864.
Thomas McEnry, of Manchester.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1864.
COMPANY OFFICEKS.
Co. A. — Captains — Rufus F. Clark, of Manchester.
Resigned Dec. 14, 1863.
Orrin M. Dearborn, of Hampton.
Mustered out Feb. 11, 1865.
James Plaisted, of Portsmouth.
Not mustered. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Alvin H.«Libby, of Manchester.
Promoted to Adjutant, April 15, 1862.
John R. Haynes, of Manchester.
Promoted to Quartermaster, Nov. 16, 1862.
Daniel J. Flanders, of Nashua.
Resigned July 2, 1863.
Ruthven "W. Houghton, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain, June 4, 1864
John M. Parker, of Fitzwilliam.
Mustered out Oct. 31, 1864.
Dustin Marshall, of Manchester.
Wounded severely Jan. 15, 1865. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John R. Haynes, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 15, 1862
Daniel J. Flanders, of Nashua.
Transferred to Company E.
Ruthven W. Houghton, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 15, 1863
John Kirwin, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 23, 1863.
John M. Head, of Exeter.
Honorablv discharged March 24, 1864.
George H. Giddings, of Exeter.
Wounded slightly Aug. 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 12, 1864
Co. B.— Captains-^Tohn E. Wilbur, of Exeter.
Dismissed May 11, 1863.
THIRD ZEGIMENT. 173
Thomas M. Jackson, of Portsmouth.
Resigned Aug. 8, 1863.
Henry S. Dow, of Lisbon.
Mustered out Oct. 7, 1864.
Roger "W. Woodbury, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Henry H. Ayer, of Fisherville.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 1, 1862.
Andrew J. Fogg, of Exeter.
Resigned May 9, 1863.
David Wads worth, Jr., of Nashua.
Transferred to Company F.
John Kirwin, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain, May 24, 1864.
William L. Dodge, of Hampton.
Mustered out Oct. 16, 1864.
Joseph Ackerman, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 24, 1865
John S. Bryant, of Exeter.
Died of disease, May 23, 1865.
Thomas Price, of Barnstead.
Not mustered. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Andrew J. Fogg, of Exeter.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 17, 1862.
Jonah Libby, Jr., of Boston, Mass.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 16, 1862.
Charles F. Brainard, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 13, 1863.
J. Homer Edgerly, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 2, 1864
Roger W. Woodbury, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 4, 1864
Michael J. Connolly, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 12, 1864
Co. C. — Captains — Michael T. Donohoe, of Manchester
Promoted to Colonel 10th Regt. Aug. 6, 1862.
Robert H. Allen, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged June 29, 1864
William H. Trickey, of Wolfeborough.
Wounded slightly Sept. 3, 1864. Do. Oct. 27, 1864. Promoted to Major
Jan. 7, 1865.
Daniel Eldredge, of Lebanon.
Declined. Honorably discharged June 22, 1865, to date May 21, 1865, to
fcccept appointment in Veteran Reserve Corps.
174 THE GREAT REBELLION.
. Joseph Ackerman, of Nashua.
Mustered out July 20, 1865
First Lieuts. — Robert H. Allen,* of Manchester.
Wounded slightly June 16, 1862. Promoted to Captain June 21, 1862.
Walter Cody, of Manchester.
Wounded severely June 16, 1862. Resigned Nov. 15, 1862.
Jonah Libby, Jr., of Boston, Mass.
Transferred to Company D.
George Stearns, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 3, 1864.
Roger "W. Woodbury, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 28, 1864.
Michael P. Donley, of New Ipswich.
Promoted to Captain April 16, 1865.
Marquis L. Holt, of Nelson.
Mustered out July 20, 1865
Second Lieuts. — Walter Cody, of Manchester.
Wounded slightly June 16, 1862. Promoted to First Lieut. June 1, 1862.
Joseph J. Donohoe, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 7, 1863.
Joseph W. Ackerman, of Hampton.
Resigned July 28, 1863.
Charles S. Hazen, of Milford.
Transferred to Company D.
John M. Parker, of Fitzwilliam.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 6, 1864.
John H. Hitchcock, of Richmond.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 24, 1864.
Samuel Robinson, of Rochester.
Not mustered. Died of wounds June 2, 1864.
Michael P. Donley, of New Ipswich.
Wounded severely Aug. 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 28, 1864.
Co. D. — Captains — Charles F. D unbar, of Hampton.
Resigned June 20, 1862.
Robert H. Allen, of Manchester.
Transferred to Company C.
"William II. Maxwell, of Manchester.
Wounded severely June 16, 1864. Mustered out Dec. 14, 1864.
John S. James, of Hampton.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — W. H. Cornelius, of Portsmouth.
Resigned March 14, 1863.
Ruthven W. Houghton, of Manchester.
Transferred to Company A.
THIRD REGIMENT. 175
Jonah Libby, Jr., of Boston, Mass.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 2, 1864.
J. Homer Edgerly, of Dover..
Promoted to Captain Oct. 1, 1864.
James E. McCoy, of Pelham.
Wounded Oct. 27, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan. 4, 1865.
James H. Plaisted, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain July 20, 1865.
William E. Hammett, of Manchester.
Not mustered. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — 0. M. Dearborn, of Hampton.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 27, 1862.
John M. Head, of Exeter.
Transferred to Company A.
Charles S. Hazen, of Milford.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 24, 1864.
William H. Burbank, of Tarn worth.
Com. revoked. Transferred to Company G, by order of War Department.
Co. E. — Captains — Josiah I. Plimpton, of Milford.
Promoted to Major June 27, 1862.
Richard Ela, of Concord.
Killed at Drury's Bluff, Va., May 13, 1864.
Andrew J. Wadlia, of Wolfeborough.
Wounded severely Aug. 16, 1864. Discharged on account of wounds Feb.
10, 1865.
Michael P. Donley, of ^NTew Ipswich.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Richard Ela, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain April 15, 1862.
John F. Langley, of Nottingham.
Resigned July 3, 1862.
Orrin M. Dearborn, of Hampton.
Transferred to Company H.
William H. Trickey, of Wolfeborough.
Promoted to Captain July^7, 1864.
Daniel Eldredge, of Lebanon.
Wounded severely Aug. 16, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan. 4, 1865.
Edwin N". Bowen, of Richmond.
Transferred to Company K.
Walter J. Richards, of Manchester.
Not mustered. Mustered out July 20, 1866.
Second Lieuts. — Geo. W. Jackson, of Concord.
Resigned Dec. 16, 1861
176 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Thomas M. Jackson, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1862.
Daniel I. Flanders, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 16, 1862.
David Wadsworth, Jr., of Nashua.
- Promoted to First Lieut. May 13, 1863.
Eugene J. Button, of Nashua.
Transferred to Company F.
J. Homer Edgerly, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 2, 1864.
John H. Tredick, of Portsmouth.
Wounded severely June 16, 1864. Died of wounds July 6, 1864.
(Jo. F. — Captains — James F. Randlett, of Nashua.
Promoted to Major April 6, 1864.
David Wads worth, Jr., of Nashua.
Wounded slightly May 16, 1864. Discharged for disability Sept. 24, 1864.
J. Homer Edgerly, of Dover.
Appointed Major U. S. Vols. by brevet, for gallant and meritorious conduct
at the storming of Fort Fisher, N. C., to date from March 13, 1865. Mustered
out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Charles S. Burnham, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain June 27, 1862.
Henry A. Marsh, of Nashua.
Resigned Dec. 31, 1862.
George Stearns, of Nashua.
Transferred to Company C.
David Wadsworth, Jr., of Nashua
Promoted to Captain April 6, 1864.
Charles S. Hazen, of Milford.
Wounded severely May 13, 1864. Honorably discharged Dec. 17, 1864.
Fred. H. Tuttle, of Milton.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Henry A. Marsh, of Nashua.
Wounded slightly June 16, 1862. Promoted to First Lieut. July 4, 1862.
George Stearns, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1863.
Elbridge J. Copp, of Nashua.
Promoted to Adjutant July 20, 1863.
Eugene J. Button, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 3, 1864.
William L. Dodge, of Hampton.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 24, 1864.
Joseph Ackerman, of Nashua.
Wounded Aug. 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 28, 1864.
THIRD REGIMENT. 177
Walter Hellish, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 6, 1865.
James Quinlan, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Co. G. — Captains— Pierce L. Wiggin, of Ossipee.
Resigned April 14, 1862.
Richard Ela, of Concord.
Transferred to Company E.
George W. Emrnons, of Lebanon.
Resigned Sept. 18, 1863.
Jonah Libby, Jr., of Boston, Mass.
Wounded severely June 11, 1864. Discharged on account of wounds Oct.
19, 1864.
Charles A. White, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — George W. Emmons, of Lebanon.
Promoted to Captain April 2, 1862.
Henry C. Handerson, of Keene.
Promoted to Captain March 7, 1863.
Joseph J. Donohoe, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged April 14, 1863.
Leonard F. Place, of Rochester.
Resigned July 22, 1863.
Andrew J. Wacllia, of Wolfeborough.
Promoted to Captain May 24, 1864.
Charles A. White, of Manchester.
Wounded severely Aug. 16, 1864. Promoted to Captain Nov. 9, 1864.
Arlon S. Atherton, of Richmond,
Promoted to Captain May 15, 1865.
George R. James, of Hampton.
Not mustered. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Henry C. Handerson, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 2, 1862.
Darius K. Scruton, of Salmon Falls.
Wounded July 16, 1862. Died of wounds Aug. 8, 1862.
Andrew J. Wadlia, of Wolfeborough,
Promoted to First Lieut. June 14, 1863.
Roger W. Woodbury, of Manchester.
Transferred to Company B.
Simon N". Lamprey, of Exeter.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 5, 1864.
William Davis.
Honorably discharged Sept. 4, 1864.
178 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Co. H. — Captains — Robert C. Dow, of Manchester.
Resigned June 21, 1862.
"Welbee J. Butterfield, of J)over.
Transferred to Company K.
Henry H. Ayer, of Fisherville.
Wounded severely Aug. 26, 1863. Killed at Drury's Bluff, Va., \iay 16,
1864.
John Kirwin, of Manchester
Mustered out Nov. 11, 1864.
James E. McCoy, of Pelham.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Wm. H. Maxwell, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain June 17, 1862.
Andrew J. Fogg, of Exeter.
Transferred to Company B, June 17, 1862.
Thomas M. Jackson, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain May 13, 1863.
Charles F. Brainard, of Keene.
Resigned Aug. 10, 1863.
Orrin M. Dearborn, of Hampton.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 15, 1863.
Frank L. Merrill, of Manchester.
Died of wounds July 13, 1864.
John S. James, of Hampton.
Promoted to Captain April 6, 1865.
Walter Mellish, of "Keene.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — J. F. Langley, of Nottingham.
Promoted to "First Lieut. April 15, 1862.
Joseph C. Wiggin, of Sandwich.
Killed Aug. 22, 1862.
Henry F. Hopkins, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged April 17, 1863.
Frank L. Morrill, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 24, 1864.
James E. McCoy, of Pelham.
Wounded slightly June 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 13, 1864.
William Hammett, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 20, 1865.
Co. I. — Captains — "Ralph Carl ton, of Farmington.
Wounded severely June 16, 1862. Died of wounds" July 17, 1862.
"William H. Maxwell, of Manchester.
Transferred to Company D.
THIRD REGIMENT. 179
Charles S. Burnham of Nashua.
Honorably discharged Dec. 6, 1863.
Ruthven W. Houghton, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged Oct. 24, 1864.
John H. Hitchcock, of Richmond.-
Not mustered. Dismissed March 3, 1865.
Arlon S. Atherton, of Richmond.
Not mustered. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — John II. Thompson, of Holderness.
Died of disease Aug. 27, 1862.
Henry S. Dow, of Lisbon.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 1, 1864.
Eugene J. Button, of Nashua,
Killed at Drury's Bluff, Va., May 16, 1864.
John H. Hitchcock, of Richmond.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 4, 1865.
Jesse C. Pushee, of Nashua.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Samuel M. Smith, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 22, 1862.
Leonard F. Place, of Rochester.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 15, 1863.
William M. Trickey, of Wolfeborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864.
Charles A. White, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 24, 1864.
John S. James, of Hampton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 28, 1864.
James M. Chase, of Concord.
Not mustered. Discharged for disability July 7, 1865.
Co. K — Captains — Israel B. Littlefield, of Dover.
Resigned April 1, 1862.
George W. Emmons, of Lebanon.
Transferred to Company G.
Welbee J. Butterfield, of Dover.
Resigned March 6, 1863.
Henry C. Handerson, of Keene.
Resigned Sept. 18, 1863.
George Stearns, of Nashua.
* Mustered out Oct. 31, 1864.
George H. Giddings, of Exeter.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Welbee J. Butterfield, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain June 22, 1862.
180 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Samuel M. Smith, of Keene.
Resigned June 13, 1863.
Andrew J. Wadlia, of Wolfeborough.
Transferred to Company G.
Simon N". Lamprey, of Exeter.
Killed at Deep Run, Va., Aug. 16, 1864.
George II. Giddings, of Exeter.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 4, 1865.
Edwin N". Bowen, of Richmond.
Mustered out July 20, 1865
Second Lieuts. — William II. Miles, Madbury.
Resigned Feb. 6, 1862
Henry S. Dow, of Lisbon.
Transferred to Company I.
Marshall P. Hawkins, of Fitzwilliam.
Resigned Nov. 28, 1863.
Daniel Eldredge, of Lebanon.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 7, 1864.
Arlon S. Atherton, of Richmond.
Wounded and captured Aug. 16, 1864. Released. Promoted to First Lieut.
Nov. 9, 1864.
I
All the field officers had had experience in the army,
and some of them had been under fire. Col. Fellows
was educated at West Point Military Academy, had
held several commissions in the State Militia, and was
Adjutant of the First Regiment. Lieut. Colonel Jack
son served as Lieutenant and Captain in the Mexican
war, was in several battles, and had held commissions —
the highest that of Colonel — in the State Militia. Ma-
O
jor Bedel also served in the Mexican war, having en
listed as a private, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant,
by reason of meritorious conduct. They brought to
their positions what was much needed at that time —
knowledge of their duties in field and camp. The regi
ment was composed of £ood men, well officered, and
the State expected from it much honor, as well as use
fulness to the service, nor was it in any way disap
pointed.
THIRD REGIMENT. 181
COLONEL JOHN H. JACKSON.
Colonel Jackson is a son of John A. H. Jackson, of
Portsmouth. He was born at that place on the 20th of
October, 1814. He was appointed Lieutenant in the
First Regiment New Hampshire Militia, in 1841, and
rose step by step to be Colonel of the same in 1848. On
the 9th of April, 1847, he was appointed First Lieuten
ant of the Ninth Regiment, United States Army, and
accompanied his regiment on its march to the City of
Mexico, being in all the battles in the Valley of Mexico,
and was brevetted for gallant services on the 19th and
30th of August, 1847, at the battles of Contreras and
Churubusco, and commissioned Captain Feb. 17, 1848.
He was mustered out of service the following August.
After the fall of Chepultepec, the Ninth Regiment
pressed forward to the Aqueduct, under a shower of
shot and shells. An escapet-ball hit Lieut. Jackson
in the breast and glanced off to the ground. It struck
a Bible he carried in his breast pocket, the gift of a sis
ter as he left home. The Bible was deeply but obliquely
indented by the ball, and to it he owed the preservation
of his life. Col. Jackson was an inspector in the Boston
Custom House from 1853 to 1861. On the 6th of Au
gust of the same year he was appointed Lieut. Colonel
of the Third Regiment, and Colonel of the same on the
resignation of Col. Fellows, in June, 1862, which posi
tion he held until Feb. 24, 1864, when he was honorably
discharged. His life in the war of the rebellion, from
August, 1861, to the date of his discharge forms a part
of the history of the Third Regiment. On the 1st of
January, 1867, Col. Jackson was appointed an Inspector
in the Boston Custom House, which position he now
holds. He was removed by Collector Goodrich, in 1861,
and by him re-appointed to the same position in 1867,
as a reward for services rendered the country.
182 THE GREAT REBELLION.
GENERAL JOHN BEDEL.
General Bedel, of Bath, is a son of G$n. Moody Bedel.
He was born on the 8th of July, 1822, at Indian Stream
Territory, what is now Pittsburg. He was educated at
Newbury, Vermont, Seminary, read law with Hon.
Harry Hibbard, of Bath, and was admitted to the Graf-
ton County bar in 1850. He enlisted as a private in the
Ninth Regiment United States Infantry, ^farch 25, 1847,
and was soon promoted to First Sergeant of Company
H. He was discharged at Vera Cruz, Aug. 8, 1847, on
account of disability. Dec. 30, 1847, he was appointed
Second Lieutenant in the same regiment, and served
until August, 1848, when he was honorably discharged.
For some years subsequent to the Mexican war he was
clerk in one of the Departments at Washington. Au
gust 6, 1861, he was appointed Major of the Third Regi
ment, and at once entered upon the duties of his position,
with great energy and industry. On the resignation of
Col. Fellows, in June, 1862, Major Bedel was promoted
to Lieut. Colonel ; and while prisoner of war, April 6,
1864, to Colonel of the same regiment. He was wounded
by a solid shot at Morris Island, on the 10th of June,
1863. He returned to duty on the 16th, and was cap
tured far in advance of his men, in the night assault up
on Fort Wagner, Morris Island, July 18, 1863, and was
not paroled until Dec. 10, 1864 — remaining in the hands
of the enemy nearly seventeen months — was declared
exchanged, at Annapolis, Md., March 31, 1864, and re
turned to his regiment at Wilmington, 1ST. C., as Colonel,
on the llth of April, 1865. He was appointed Briga
dier General United States Volunteers, by Brevet, " for
gallant and meritorious services, to date from March
13, 1865." He served with distinction through the
war, and was mustered out with his regiment, July
20, 1865.
THIRD REGIMENT. 183
When taken prisoner, Gen. Bedel was carried to
Richland County Jail and South Carolina Penitentiary,
at Columbus, S. C. While the exposure of the prisoners
confined here to the elements was not as severe as those
confined at Belle Isle, Andersonville and Salisbury, they
were almost continually threatened with being shot,
hung, or exposed on the ramparts of Fort Sumter.
The prisoners were kept in close confinement, robbed,
starved, exposed to cold without fuel, shot at and shot
into for attempting to escape, and then put in irons and
solitary confinement for months, as a punishment. Col.
Bedel was put in solitary confinement and so kept five
months, from the 7th of March to the 7th of August,
1864, for not submitting with sufficient docility to his
treatment. Capt. Shadrach T. Harris, of the East Ten
nessee Cavalry, was kept in irons twenty-six months,
but they did not dare to carry their threats to shoot and
hang him into execution. Col. Bedel probably suffered
no more than others who were confined in the same
prison, and perhaps not as much as some ; but his suf
ferings from cold, hunger, solitude and threats of death
in every shape, and his feelings when, after seventeen
months of such confinement, he was paroled and sent
into our lines, may be more easily imagined than de
scribed.
When the war was over, Gen. Bedel returned to his
home, in Bath, where he still resides, and enjoys the
confidence and respect of a large circle of warm friends
and acquaintances. He represented his town in the
popular branch of the Legislature in 1868 and 1869, and
was the candidate of the democrats for Governor in
1869, receiving the full vote of his party. To him, as
much as to any single man, belongs the credit of mak
ing the Third one of the most efficient, brave and hon
ored regiment that went from New Hampshire during
the four years' war of the rebellion.
184 THE GREAT REBELLION.
By act of Congress of July 22d, 1861, the President
was authorized to call for volunteers, not to exceed
500,000 in all. He gave Gen. T. W. Sherman authority
to organize a secret expeditionary Corps. The Third
New Hampshire Regiment was assigned to this corps,
and was the first in the field.
On the 3d of September, 1861, the Third Regiment
struck tents and took transportation for Camp Winfield
Scott, on Long Island, !N". Y., with ten hundred and
thirty- one officers and men, fully equipped and armed
with Enfield rifled muskets, where they arrived next
day. The Band was full and excellent ; the camp and
garrison equipage abundant and substantial ; the trans
portation — ninety horses and twenty-five wagons — of a
superior quality, hardly surpassed by that of any volun
teer regiment which took the field during the rebellion;
the hospital department thoroughly organized and sup
plied with all the requisites for the preservation of the
health of the troops ; the means complete for preparing
food for the men properly and speedily ; nor were the
means of mental and moral culture neglected. The
regiment lacked nothing but that experience which
every volunteer organization must acquire in the field
before it is fitted for active campaigning.
Camp Winfield Scott was designed as a camp of in
struction for the corps of sixteen or more regiments.
The Third was the first to arrive and had its choice of
quarters. In it were many officers and men who had
previously seen service, which was a great aid in disci
plining the regiment and instructing the men in acquir
ing soldierly habits.
Late on the 14th of September orders were received
for the regiment to be ready in fifteen minutes to leave
for parts unknown. It took cars accordingly, leaving
behind all but arms and equipments, and at midnight
on the 15th was landed at the depot in Washington, D.
THIRD REGIMENT. 185
C., and next day went into camp near the Congres
sional burying ground. The United States took posses
sion of the tents, horses, wagons and camp equipage, and
they were never returned to the regiment.
While at Long Island, the ladies of Hampton Plains
had made arrangements to present the regiment with a
stand of national colors, as a compliment to its discipline
and good conduct, and a delegation of gentlemen was
sent with it to Washington, where it was presented by
Dr. Scudder, in behalf of the ladies. The source
from whence it came and the cause of its presentation
endeared it to every soldier in the regiment, and its rent,
perforated and tattered folds, deposited in the State
House at Concord, attest with what gallantry it was
borne and guarded by its grateful recipients.
At Washington the Third Regiment was joined by
the 8th Maine, and 46th, 47th and 48th New York, and
together composed the First Brigade of Sherman's
Division. The President visited the regiment and com
plimented it in very high terms for its fine appearance.
On the 4th of October the regiment moved to An
napolis, Md. While there Mrs. Gen. Veile, presented
it with a stand of national colors, Gov. Hicks, of Md.,
speaking in behalf of the donor, as follows :
COL. FELLOWS — Dear Sir : Allow me to present to you
and your command this rich emblem — a gift from the
accomplished and patriotic Mrs. Brig. Gen. Yeile.
Col. Fellows took the colors, unfurled them to the
view of his command, and the large number of specta
tors, military and civil, who had been invited to be pres
ent, and responded as follows :
Gov. HICKS, GENTLEMEN, AND FELLOW-SOLDIERS — The
First Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers (three months'
soldiers), on their way to Washington passing through
the city of New York, were met by a delegation of Sons
186 THE GREAT REBELLION.
of New Hampshire, residents of that city, and presented
a beautiful stand of colors. I had the honor of being a
member of that regiment, and we all felt very proud to
receive the emblem of our nationality from such a source.
"We carried that banner with pride through that cam
paign. Being honorably discharged, we took it with us
up to our home among the old granite hills of New
Hampshire. Our country still bleeding, the call of duty
was imperative, and this regiment was immediately or
ganized ; and on our way to the seat of war, we en
camped a few days at Long Island, near the town of
Hempstead, from which quiet village we had the honor
and great pleasure of receiving a beautiful flag, as a testi
mony of respect, from the ladies residing there. What
adds still more to the importance of that gift, is the fact
that we* did not stay long enough to have the flag fin
ished, but received it in Washington, through a dele
gation of prominent citizens, headed by the Rev. Dr.
Scudder.
During our stay in the city of "Washington of about
two weeks, a beautiful and accomplished lady in the
person of Mrs. Brig. Gen. Yeile appears in camp, like
a bright oasis in a barren desert, remaining with her
husband, our gallant Brigadier, long enough to observe
some of the hardships of a soldier's life and appreciate
his sacrifices ; then quietly leaving her husband for her
beautiful home on the shore of Long Island, and us in
forgetfulness as we supposed ; but no, though far away
she still remembers, and as a token of that remembrance
and of respect, sends us this beautiful flag,
" Oh, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."
This is the third time a New Hampshire regiment has
received a flag from citizens of New York. One from a
number of gentlemen, one from a small society of ladies,
and this magnificent one from a single lady. Fellow-
THIRD REGIMENT. 187
soldiers, what mean these gifts? I will tell you. It
shows that you have made a favorable impression as a
regiment, wherever you have been, and now the ques
tion comes, shall we maintain the reputation we have ?
I answer for you, we will try. And now, sir, in behalf
of this regiment, I beg through you, to thank Mrs. Yeile
for this splendid token of her consideration ; also I pray
convey to her the assurance that with God's blessing
we will return with this flag waving triumphantly over
us, or die beneath its folds.
The flag cost in New York city $300.00. The fringe
is of gold, very heavy, and the staff trimmings of pure
silver. Upon one piece is engraven, " Presented to Col.
Fellows' regiment, 3d K H., by Mrs. Veile."
This flag was riddled with bullets in the memorable
battle of Deep Run, Aug. 16, 1-864. It was followed by
a band of as valiant men as ever received their nations'
ensign from the hands of fair ladies, and has been safely
deposited beside the other war worn, battle stained flags
of the regiment in the State House.
On the 18th the Third Regiment went on board Gen.
Sherman's flagship Atlantic, and left the harbor on the
19th for Fortress Monroe, arriving there, the next day,
where they remained until the 29th, when they sailed
for Port Royal, and after experiencing a most terrific
gale, made that harbor on the 4th of November. After
a council of Gen. Sherman and other officers it was de
termined not to land any troops until the forts on each
side of the river should be reduced by the Navy. On
the 7th the bombardment commenced in earnest, was
grand beyond description and the rebels were com
pletely shelled out. The Third landed on the 9th, went
into camp in a cotton and corn field, and in clearing a
camp and drill ground burned a large quantity of cot
ton.
188 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Colonel Fellows issued the following Thanksgiving
Proclamation. At the dinner sentiments were offered
by representatives from New Hampshire, and responded
to with spirit. The occasion was much enjoyed by the
regiment and others who participated in the exercises :
HEADQUARTERS 3d 1ST. H. V., \
Hilton Head, S. C., Nov. 28, 1861. /
According to the custom of our fathers I propose to
observe this day after New England fashion. For al
though we are now in South Carolina, we can not for
get that we are citizens of New Hampshire.
I sincerely congratulate you, fellow-soldiers, on your
good conduct and obedience to orders, and above all on
your reputation as a regiment.
Let us therefore, on account of the innumerable bless
ings by which we have been and are still surrounded, offer
up our hearts in thanksgiving and praise to that Being
who orders all things well. And may the time soon
come when we can bid farewell to war's dread alarms
and return to the quiet pursuits of peaceful life.
You will be excused to-day from all unnecessary drill
and parade.
E. Q. FELLOWS, COLONEL.
From the 9th of November to the 10th of December,
the regiment was engaged in drilling, doing picket and
guard duty and furnishing working details on the en
trenchments. Dec. 31st, the 47th and 48th New York
regiments were ordered to report to Gen. Stevens to
take part in an expedition against the enemy's works
at Port Koyal Ferry, on the Coosaw River. The former
regiment having but one field officer, Major Bedel was
ordered to accompany the expedition. The object was
fully accomplished by the aid of gun boats, after a two
days' fight, Jan. 1st and 2d, 1862. The enemy's works
THIRD REGIMENT. 189
were captured and dismantled, one fortification gun se
cured, and all buildings used as quarters burned. The
troops engaged received the thanks of the General com
manding the department, in general orders. This was
the first real engagement of the land forces in the De
partment of the South.
January 29th, 1862, Capt. Donohoe, with a platoon of
forty men from his company, was ordered to report on
board the steamer McClellan, Gen. Sherman's flagship
and headquarters, to act as a body guard, and did not
return to the regiment until about the first of February.
The 48th JSTew York having gone on an expedition un
der Gen. Yeile, the 55th Pennsylvania regiment was
assigned to the first brigade. During the month of
February all the troops, except the Third ISTew Hamp
shire arid five companies of the 8th Maine regiment,
had left Hilton Head for duty elsewhere.
March 18th, Gen. Sherman having left for Fernandina,
Fla., Col. Fellows, being in command of the Post, or
dered Lieut. Col. Jackson to make a reconnoisance in
the direction of Blulfton, with all the available men of
the regiment, leaving Major Bedel, much to his dis
pleasure, in command of the camp. The regiment was
accompanied by two field pieces and a detachment of
the 3d Rhode Island Artillery. About three o'clock on
the morning of the 10th they took water transportation
and made for White House Point, where companies A
and F were ordered to put in and remain quiet until
daylight, while the balance of the command was to land
at another point further on. This disposition resulted
in the capture of four of the enemy's pickets, without
firing a gun. The command took boats and proceeded
to Bull Island. On the 22(1 the largest portion of the
command proceeded to Bluffton, where a company of
rebel cavalry was posted, which evacuated the place at the
first fire. The command returned to camp on the 24th.
190 THE GREAT REBELLION.
On the night of the 28th of March the enemy made
a demonstration on Edisto Island, surprised the 55th
Pennsylvania, posted there, killed two and captured
twenty-three of the regiment. Major Bedel, happening
to be at Edisto, volunteered to accompany a field piece
and ninety men of the 47th New York, to re-enforce
Col. White, of the 55th Pennsylvania, then engaged
with the enemy, about ten miles from Col. Moore's
headquarters. He joined Col. White in season to aid
him in forcing the enemy to retire from Edisto and
Little Edisto Islands, and reported to Col. Moore before
midnight. The 55th Pennsylvania afterward abandoned
its post and retired to the vicinity of the 47th New
York. Gen. Hunter, who had just relieved Gen. Sher
man in the command of the Department, ordered the
Third New Hampshire, Col. Fellows, to re-occupy the
abandoned post at once. The regiment left Hilton Head
on the 3d of April by steamer, and landed on Edisto
the same night, and the next day marched across the
island to its new quarters. Col. Fellows was ranking
officer, in command of the Post, and did not accompany
the regiment. Four pieces of the 3d Rhode Island Artil
lery, Capt. Day, joined the command. Two companies
under Major Bedel, with one piece of Capt. Day's bat
tery, were stationed about a mile in front of Regimental
Headquarters, toward Jehossie Island; one company,
under Capt. Donohoe, was stationed near the south
Edisto river; one, under Capt. Dow, was detailed as
provost guard at Post Headquarters, and other com
panies were variously disposed of in similar duties until
the 1st of June, Meantime a demonstration was made
by Major Bedel, about the 10th of April, on the enemy's
pickets at Watt's Cut, but with strict orders not to bring
on an engagement. Two or three days afterward a
reconnoisance in force was made by Lieut. Col. Jackson
at the same point, the rebel pickets driven in and their
THIRD REGIMENT. 191
breastworks leveled. On the 17th a simultaneous ad
vance was made by the Third 'New Hampshire and
Forty-seventh New York, on Jehossie Island, and the
enemy driven in. Several other reconnoisances were
made on Jehossie and Bonny Hall islands.
On the 23d of April Col. Fellows was relieved by
Gen. "Wright, and left for home on a sixty days' fur
lough. He resigned, his resignation was accepted on
the 26th of June, and he did not return to the regiment.
On the 27th Lieut. Col. Jackson was promoted to Col
onel, Major Bedel to Lieut. Colonel, and Capt. Josiah
I. Plimpton, of Co. E, to Major.
Soon after Gen. Hunter had relieved Gen. Sherman
of the command, the department wras divided into two
parts, the northern division, in which the Third was
serving being under the command of Gen. Benham.
The regiment was brigaded with the First Massachu
setts Cavalry, Third Rhode Island Artillery, and Sor-
rell's New York Volunteer Engineers, which was known
as the " Division Headquarters Brigade," and was com
manded by Col. Robert Williams, of the First Massachu
setts Cavalry, he being the ranking officer. On the
4th of May seventeen recruits joined the regiment.
On the 1st of June an order was received for the
Third, and Forty-seventh New York to report before
daylight the next morning at Post Headquarters, ten
miles distant, which done they were ordered to cross
the North Edisto river to John's Island, and follow Col.
Williams, whom they overtook after a hard march,
through rain and mud, of seven miles. On the morning
of the 4th the command marched for Legareville, twelve
miles, in a tremendous storm and dense darkness, through
mud and water half-leg deep. Arrived at their place of
destination they found that Gen. Stevens, who went by
water, had, with the aid of gunboats, already driven the
rebels from some of their batteries and effected a land-
192 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ing on James Island, having taken three guns and dis
abled another.
On the 6th the command crossed to James Island, and
on the 7th was sent to relieve the advanced pickets.
During the night it was ordered to make a sudden dash
on the rebel pickets and gain any information practica
ble as to the enemy's strength and position. Major Be
del was field officer of the day in command of the pickets,
and was directed to detail one company to go forward to
a house occupied by the rebels, and within their picket
lines. Capt. Plimpton's Company E, was selected, and
at once went forward to the house, the enemy retiring
before them. At a concerted signal Companies C, D,
and K, moved forward to the support of Company E ;
but as strong works and many mounted guns could be
seen, further advance was not deemed practicable. In
the afternoon the experiment was repeated, for the pur
pose of drawing the enemy's fire. Capt. Donohoe's
Company C, moved rapidly forward and passed the
house, supported by portions of the regiment and a
squad of Cavalry. The enemy opened fire, from his
batteries, and as the Third retired he followed so closely
that the line was forced back some distance. The
ground was, however, retaken, and the regiment was
soon after relieved and ordered to join Col. Williams'
Brigade, two miles -further to the left.
On the 10th a brisk fight took place between the
pickets under Col. Guss, of the 79th Pennsylvania, and
a regiment of the enemy, which advanced too far in re-
connoitering our lines. Major Bedel was present at the
picket line when the enemy made his appearance, vol
unteered to act as aid to Col. Guss, and participated in
the fight, and himself captured four prisoners, including
a Captain of a Georgia Regiment, with his sword, belt,
and pistol, and captured and brought in seven muskets.
Col. Williams gave him permission to retain the Cap-
THIRD REGIMENT. 193
tain's arms and one musket. Fifteen of the enemy
were killed and found on the field, seven wounded and
taken prisoners, 'two of whom died, and it was reported
that sixty-five others were wounded ; while the loss on
our side was three killed and twelve wounded.
On the 16th of June the Third Kegiment received its
first baptism in blood. Gen. Benham had ordered
an advance on Secessionville, about two miles from
camp. Gen. Stevens commenced the attack on the
" Marsh Battery " before daylight, and was repulsed
three times before the division of Gen. Wright was en
gaged. A battalion of the Third Rhode Island was sent
forward as skirmishers, and the Third New Hampshire
was ordered to support it and the Ninety-seventh Penn
sylvania, which were said to be in front. On coming
within rifle-shot of the rebel batteries no troops were
found in front, and the regiment was therefore halted.
It proved that the two regiments mentioned had ob
liqued to the right, and came *out in front of Stevens5
division. The Third was thrown forward as near the
enemy's battery as a marsh and creek intervening would
admit, and opened fire, silencing every gun in the bat
tery and driving the enemy out with so hot a fire that
not a gun could be loaded or discharged for an hour.
In reaching this position the regiment was enfiladed by
a field battery with grape and canister. A fort to its
left and rear opened with shell and round shot. Mus
ketry from the rear soon followed, and finally shells
from Gen. Stevens' battery, and from gunboats in Stono
river, intended for the enemy's marsh battery, fell, in
stead, into the ranks of the Third. Efforts were made
to secure re-enforcements to the regiment, or some artil
lery, to silence the enemy's fire in the rear, but without
avail. The Third lay within forty yards of the rebel
fort, and would have crossed the stream, had it been
fordable, and easily taken the works; but large re-en-
194 THE GREAT REBELLION.
forcements were brought in from Charleston, by the
enemy, and the guns of the men got so foul as in many
cases to be useless ; and it appearing to be of no advan
tage to hold the position longer, Lieut. Col. Jackson gave
the order to retire, which was accomplished in good or
der, and soon after the regiment returned to camp. The
brigade commander, Col. Williams, in a letter to Gov.
Berry, of New Hampshire, said : " I do not believe it
possible for men to have acted with more courage, and
I desire particularly to call your attention to the marked
gallantry of Lieut. Col. Jackson, Major Bedel, and Capt.
Plimpton. Their conduct was even noticed by the
enemy, as it was afterward stated at a flag of truce."
Capt. Plimpton was acting Major at this time.
The regiment went into the fight with twenty-six offi
cers and five hundred and ninety-seven men, of whom
one hundred and four were killed and wounded. Capt.
Ralph Carlton, a gallant and promising officer, was hit
in both legs by a solid shot, and died the same day.
Lieut. I). K. Scruton wras wounded in the hand and arm,
and died of his wounds on the 8th of the following Au
gust. Lieut. Walter Cody was severely -wounded in the
thigh. Lieut. Henry C. Ilanderson was wounded se
verely, and Lieuts. R. H. Allen and H. A. Marsh slightly.
Lieut. S. M. Smith had his shoulder strap shot off, and
Lieut. John R. Haynes had his boot leg ripped open
with a musket ball. Col. Jackson mentioned, as partic
ularly deserving notice, besides the field officers, Cap
tains Donohoe, Wilbur and Randlett, Adjutant Libby
and Sergeant Major Copp. The regiment went into the
battle eagerly and retreated reluctantly. It behaved so
well as to command respect, and received the commend
ation of all. It won a name for valor that will never be
forgotten so long as the rebellion is remembered. The
failure was solely for want of good generalship. Upon
the return of Gen. Hunter, who had been temporarily
THIRD REGIMENT. 195
absent from the Department, Gen. Benham was sent to
Washington under arrest.
After spending a fortnight in busy preparation for
shelling the enemy out by regular approaches, an order
was received to evacuate the island. The regiment,
except Co. C, then on picket, embarked July 2d, on
steamer Cosmopolitan, and landed at Hilton Head the
next day, where it was soon joined by Co. C. Three
men deserted from Co. II to the enemy on the 6th of
August, On the morning of the 21st the enemy sur
prised Co. H, on Pinkney Island, killed Lieut. Joseph
C. Wiggin, commanding the company, and two privates;
wounded three privates, two of whom subsequently died,
and captured thirty-six men with their arms. Disease,
incident to the climate, prevailed to a great extent and
deaths were frequent. Lieut. John II. Thompson, com
missary of the regiment, died on the 27th of August,
honored and lamented. One hundred and seven re
cruits joined the regiment from the 13th of September
to the 21st of October, about which time Lieut. Col.
Jackson, Major Bedel and Capt. Plimpton received
commissions promoting them to Colonel, Lieut. Colonel
and Major, respectively, dated June 27, 1862. Gen.
Hunter was relieved by Gen. 0. M. Mitchell.
The regiment under Col. Jackson, accompanied an
expedition, under Gen. Brannan, up Broad river, with
the design of burning certain bridges on the railroad
from Charleston to Savannah, and participated in the
battle of Pocotaligo, on the 22d of October, having
three men wounded. On this expedition Lieut. Samuel
M. Smith, with twelve men of his company and eight
oarsmen from a gunboat, landed and captured a rebel
Lieutenant and three men, with their arms and equip
ments, and three horses. The main object of the expe
dition failed, and the regiment returned to camp at
Hilton Head, on the 23d. Yellow fever prevailed to
196 THE GREAT REBELLION.
some extent, and on the 30th Gen. Mitchell fell a vic
tim, and was succeeded in command of the Department
by Gen. Brannan, until the return of «Gen. Hunter, in
January, 1863.
On the 16th of February a movement was commenced
against Charleston. Six companies of the Third were
advanced on Pinkney Island, and intrenched them
selves. On the 3d of April, an expedition having been
organized, the Third embarked on board steamers. On
the 7th the navy, under Commodore Dupont, com
menced a bombardment of Fort Sumter and other
batteries in Charleston harbor, which continued from
three until five o'clock in the afternoon, which was all
of any moment that was done against Charleston at this
time. The Third, with other troops of the expedition
returned to their old camp at Hilton Head, left on the
16th of February.
On the 3d of July, the regiment, with all its baggage,
embarked on board the steamer Boston, sailed for Stono
Inlet, landed on Folly Island before daylight the next
morning, and went into camp. On the evening of the
9th, the rest of the brigade having arrived, the Third
and other regiments embarked in small boats, intend
ing to surprise the enemy's batteries and capture their
garrison. They rowed quietly up Folly river, and at
daybreak next morning came in sight of the enemy's
works on Morris Island. Sunrise was the signal for at
tack both by water batteries and the land force. As the
sun appeared our batteries opened with a tremendous
crash, taking the enemy entirely by surprise. The
shots from their batteries were wild and uncertain : and
they were at a loss whether to devote their attention to
the monitors on one side, the flotilla of boats on the
other, or the batteries in front. A detachment of the
Seventh Connecticut was sent on shore to reconnoiter,
but were driven back to their boats. The battalion of
THIRD REGIMENT. 197
the Seventh, was then landed at another point, supported
by four companies of the Forty-eighth New York, and
the Third New Hampshire, and the enemy was driven
from his rifle pits and his batteries at the lower end of
the island, making no stand till he reached Fort Wag
ner, at the other extreme. Eleven siege guns and mor
tars, with two hundred prisoners were captured. In
this affair the Third behaved with great gallantry. Its
loss was nine killed and thirty-one wounded. Lieut.
Col. Bedel was struck while in front of the regiment,
by a partially spent shell from Fort Wagner, and se
verely contused in the legs and body, but insisted upon
remaining in the field until it was decided that no
further advance was to be made that night, when, by
order of Assistant Surgeon Kimball, he was carried to
Folly Island with the other wounded.
On the morning of the llth, an attack was ordered on
Fort Wagner, in which the Third was part of the re
serve; but the movement was not made. From this
time until the 15th, the regiment held an advanced posi
tion, under a continuous shelling from Wagner, Cum-
mings Point and Sumter. On the 12th one man was
killed and two were wounded. On the 15th the Third
was relieved. On the 16th Lieut. Colonel Bedel, though
not recovered from the wound received on the 10th, re
turned to duty with the regiment.
THE CHARGE ON FORT WAGNER.
On the 18th of July, 1863, occurred the celebrated
charge on Fort Wagner. The Third was at first posted
at the headquarters of General Seymour, the division
commander. Just at night, when dispositions were
made for the assault, it was ordered to form in rear of
the Sixth Connecticut, and moved to the flank of one
the batteries, where it lay down to escape the fire of the
198 THE GREAT REBELLION.
enemy. The Third was on the left of the brigade. In
the advance a small creek was encountered, which at
that time was flooded by the tide. At this point Col.
Jackson ordered Lieut. Col. Bedel to go ahead and see
if the ground was practicable. While doing so the
enemy opened with artillery and small arms from the
fort upon the advancing column with terrible effect,
crowded as it was on the narrow neck of sand constitu
ting the only approach. Many of the Fifty-fourth were
cut down in an instant, and the organization of the regi
ment totally annihilated. The Third took cover under
some sand knolls, and failed to follow where the Lieut.
Colonel had been ordered to go, and when he turned to
communicate the fact that the ground was passable it
was nowhere to be seen by him. He, discovering a
party of the enemy which was outside the fort, hurrying
toward an entrance to the right of it, mistook them for
a party of his regiment, or at least a portion of the at
tacking column, sought to join them in the anticipated
capture of a gun near the flag-staff which was particu
larly annoying and fatal to the column ; but upon getting
near enough to distinguish persons in the dark, found
his supposed friends to be enemies, and in attempting
to flee from them was driven into the creek, captured
and taken into the fort. The regiment was ordered to
halt by Col. Jackson, and failed to advance to the fort,
and was finally withdrawn under orders from Gen.
Strong. The failure was attributable to no soldier in
the regiment. Every man would have gallantly fol
lowed any commander who would have led him. The
loss to the regiment was fifty-five killed, wounded and
missing. Among the killed was Adjutant Libby, one
of the most gallant officers of the regiment, who was
serving as assistant adjutant general on General Strong's
staff. Col. Jackson, Captains Ayer and Jackson, and
Lieut. Button were wounded. •
THIRD REGIMENT. 199
The army sat down before Fort "Wagner, to take it by
regular approaches. This required one-third of the
command constantly at the front ; and while there cas
ualties were of hourly occurrence. At every tour of
duty the Third returned with the number of its effective
men reduced ; yet it so well sustained its reputation that
it was one of the three regiments selected by Gen. Gill-
more " to be at all hours in front of the army." Col.
Jackson was ordered to New Hampshire on the 21st of
July, on recruiting service, and did not return to the
regiment until the 20th of January, 1864. Major Plimp
ton was on detached service, Lieut. Col. Bedel was a
prisoner of war, and Capt. Randlett, as ranking officer,
was in command of the regiment.
On the 6th of September it was determined to try
another charge on Fort Wagner, and Gen. Terry se
lected the Third New Hampshire to lead the " forlorn
hope," under command of Capt. Randlett. The follow
ing account of the affair was published in the Detroit
Tribune from an army correspondent, and is vouched
for by Chaplain Hill, as true, so far as it goes :
" A New Hampshire regiment had been engaged, in
several successive battles, very bloody and very desperate,
and in each engagement had been distinguishing them
selves more and more; but their success had been very
dearly bought both in men and officers. Just before
taps, the word came that the fort they had been invest
ing was to be stormed by daybreak the next morn
ing, and they were invited to lead the ' forlorn hope.'
For a time the brain of the Colonel fairly reeled with
anxiety. The post of honor was the post of danger;
but in view of all circumstances, would it be right, by
the acceptance of such a proposition, to involve his al
ready decimated regiment in utter annihilation ? He
called his long and well-tried chaplain into council with
200 THE GREAT REBELLION.
him, and asked what was to be done, and the chaplain
advised him to let the men decide for themselves.
" At the Colonel's request he stated»to the regiment
all the circumstances. Not one in twenty probably
would be left alive after the first charge. Scarcely one
of the entire number would escape death except as they
were wounded or taken prisoners. No one would be
compelled to go if he did not go with all his heart.
Think it ov^er, men, calmly and deliberately, and come
back at twelve o'clock and let us known your answer.
True to the appointed time, they all returned. ' All ? '
said I, < Yes, sir, att, without exception!' and all of them
ready for service or for sacrifice ? ' Now ! ' said the
chaplain, ' go to your tents and write your letters — set
tle all your worldly business, and whatever sins you
have upon your consciences unconfessed and unfor-
given, ask God to forgive them. As usual, I will go
with you, and the Lord do with us as seemeth Him
good.'
"The hour came; the assault was made; on these
noble spirits rushed, into ' the imminent deadly breach/
right into. the jaws of death. But like Daniel when he
was thrown into the lion's den, it pleased God that the
lion's mouth should be shut. Scarcely an hour before,
the enemy had secretly evacuated the fort, and the for
lorn hope entered into full possession, without the loss
of a single man."
After the occupation of Forts "Wagner and Gregg by
our forces, the Third was detailed for provost and post
duty. From the 25th of November to the 21st of De
cember two hundred and seventy-eight recruits joined
the regiment. Col. Jackson resigned on surgeon's cer
tificate of disability, and his resignation was accepted
on the 24th of February, 1864. Between the assault on
Fort Wagner, July 18th, 1863, and the 1st of March,
THIRD REGIMENT. 201
1864, the loss in the regiment was thirtj-two killed and
wounded. Captains Ayer and Libby, Jr., and Lieuten
ants Houghton and Edgerly were among the wounded.
Between January 1st and March 2d, two hundred and
seventy of the men re-enlisted as veterans, and left for
home on thirty days' furlough, under Capt. Randlett.
On the 1st of March an order was issued that the
regiment should be mounted, under the designation of
the " Third New Hampshire Mounted Infantry." On
the 7th of the same month horses were furnished, the
two flank companies were armed with Spencer repeat
ing carbines, and on the 1st of April left for Jackson
ville, Florida, under Major Plimpton. On arrival there
four companies, under Capt. Maxwell, were ordered to
open communication with our troops at Pilatka, a small
town seventy-five miles up the St. Johns river, which
they accomplished, and returned to Jacksonville, and
found the regiment dismounted. On the 6th of April,
Lieut. Col. Bedel — who was still a prisoner of war — was
promoted to Colonel, Major Plimpton to Lieut. Col
onel, and Capt. Randlett to Major. While at Jackson
ville, desertions to the enemy from the recently arrived
substitutes became quite frequent, and Lieut. Col.
Plimpton secretly posted a line of pickets outside the
usual line, and about midnight they seized one of the
deserters. The next morning he was tried by a drum
head court martial, and in an hour he was shot. This
was the last desertion in that campaign.
The Tenth Corps was assigned to the Army of the
James, and the Third was ordered to report to Gen.
Terry, at Gloucester Point, where they arrived on the
29th of April, and were met there by the Veteran Vol
unteers of the regiment, who had just returned from
their furlough in New Hampshire. The Third, now
recruited to eight hundred men, was brigaded with the
Seventh New Hampshire, and Sixth and Seventh Con-
202 THE GREAT REBELLION.
necticut, under Gen. Joseph R. Hawley, and were as
signed to the First Division under Gen. Alfred II.
Terry, and the Tenth Corps, commanded by General
Gillmore.
From this time they were engaged in the siege of
Petersburg, until the 9th of May, when early on that
morning the regiment, under Lieut. Col. Plimpton,
moved out of camp to participate in a general advance
on that place. They moved, under orders from Gen.
Terry, on to Brandon Bridge, about two miles from
Petersburg, and to the extreme right of the advancing
forces. A detachment of cavalry was sent with the
regiment to act as couriers to keep up communication.
Lieut. Col. Plimpton's instructions were to hold the po
sition, and to allow itt) troops to cross the bridge; to
reconnoiter the position of the enemy, and learn the
condition of the bridge, and depth of water in the rivet.
The regiment arrived, about dark within five hundred
yards of the bridge, when a halt was ordered, and a
line of battle formed. Capt. Ela, with his company,
was then detached as skirmishers, and advanced to
within about one hundred yards of the bridge, when he
met the enemy advancing. A fire was opened almost
simultaneously on both sides, grape and canister shot
from the opposite shore scattering through the woods
for several minutes, when the firing ceased. Night
coming on intensely dark, it was not deemed advisable
to advance further, and pickets were posted in all direc
tions, and a close watch was kept in expectation of an
advance of the enemy. During the night the whistling
of locomotives and rumbling of cars could be distinctly
heard in Petersburg, bringing troops from the south to
the defense of the city.
While reconnoitering the next morning, the enemy
opened with grape and canister, firing but a few rounds,
however. The position was held until about one o'clock,
THIRD REGIMENT. 203
p. M., when orders were received from Gen. Gillmore
to retire as quickly and quietly as possible. The regj-
ment immediately fell back about two miles, reported
to Gen. Terry, and rejoined the division. At this part
of the line heavy fighting had been going on during the
forenoon. A corps of the rebel army had made an at
tempt to flank Gen. Butler's line on the right, and Gen.
Terry's division, holding this part of the line, had suf
fered considerable loss. On the arrival of the Third both
armies were under a flag of truce, at the request of the
enemy, to bury the dead. Late in the afternoon the
whole army withdrew from the position, and returned
to camp at Bermuda Hundred. The loss of the Third
in this move was four wounded.
BATTLE OF DRURY'S BLUFF.
On the 12th of May Gen. Butler commenced an ad
vance toward Richmond with the Tenth and Eighteenth
Corps, and arrived at Drury's Bluff on the evening of
the 13th. The next morning the corps made a long
detour to the left, crossing the railroad and moving on
to Chester Court House. An outpost of the enemy
captured here, gave information that the rebels were
directly in front, strongly intrenched. The Third was
selected to lead an advance, and was ordered to move
to the left, find the extreme right of the rebel intrench-
ments, and if possible, make a charge upon their rear.
The regiment advanced on the double quick, passing
the remainder of the brigade ; then making a short turn
to the left through the woods, soon found themselves in
an open field, with indications of the enemy in front.
Passing an abandoned rifle pit, they filed into a belt of
woods and halted. Capt. Maxwell was then ordered
forward with his company as skirmishers, to feel the
way. Advancing down through a ravine he crossed a
204 THE GREAT REBELLION.
stream, the bridge over which was destroyed — the men
passing over on the one remaining plank, in single file.
The regiment was ordered forward, closely following
the skirmishers. As it afterward appeared, they were
then inside the rebel fortifications. Advancing left in
front, the left wing of the regiment had crossed the
stream, and filed to the left, preparatory to forming a
line of battle, when several shots were fired ; then a vol
ley came crashing through the woods, and a line of
rebels was seen through the trees advancing down upon
them. Too late to re-form, the lieutenant colonel or
dered in a loud, ringing voice, " Forward, Third New
Hampshire, CHARGE ! " The left wing had faced to the
right, and charged forward with a well known yell.
The right wing moved on as fast as possible over the
stream, in great confusion, many of the men throwing
themselves into the muddy water waist deep and wad
ing over. The Third New Hampshire charged, and
though all organization was lost, and the dead and the
wounded were falling on every side, they moved on up
the slope unflinchingly. Volley after volley was poured
in on either side, till it was one continued roll of mus
ketry. The rebel line was broken and gave way,
forced back into and outside their own works. Just at
this juncture the First Brigade of Gen. Terry's division
charged the enemy in front, and the victory was complete
— forcing the enemy from their line of works on to Fort
Darling — thus securing to our forces the whole of the
first line of the outer defenses of Richmond. For this
victory the Third New Hampshire paid dearly, and when
it was proved by subsequent events to be a useless vic-
'tory, it was indeed found a bloody and terrible sacrifice.
The fighting lasted but twenty minutes; but in those
twenty minutes more than two hundred of New Hamp
shire's bravest and best fell dead or wounded. Among
the foremost fell the gallant Capt. Richard Ela, while in
THIRD REGIMENT. 205
advance of his men, leading them in the charge. He
was shpt through the brain, and expired almost instantly.
Among the wounded were Major liandlett, Adjutant
E. J. Copp, and Lieut. Hazen.
The enemy kept up a continual and harassing fire,
and during the 15th and 16th about twenty-five men
were killed or wounded. Early on the morning of the
16th the army was advanced to the extreme front, and
the Third, with the rest, were ordered to prepare for a
charge upon the enemy's lines. Soon heavy firing com
menced on the right. The enemy, in a dense fog, had
made a flank movement to the left, and attacked the
Eighteenth Corps in the rear. The Third, with a part
of the Tenth Corps, were ordered to the assistance of
the Eighteenth, when the firing extended along the line,
and the attack became general. Instead of a charge, a
retreat was ordered, and the whole line commenced fall
ing back. As this movement commenced the enemy
came in on the left and rear. Gen. Terry rode up and
called for the Third .N"ew Hampshire, and said to Lieut.
Col. Plimpton — " I want the Third IsTew Hampshire to
charge the enemy advancing on the left." The charge
was made and the enemy were routed and forced back
to their intrenchments. The retreat was continued, and
at night the Army of the James were in their intrench
ments at Bermuda Hundred. The Third suffered con
siderable loss in the retreat. Capt. Ayer, a brave and
valuable officer, was mortally wounded on the morning
of the 16th, when Lieut. Button took command of the
company, and soon received a death wound.
The Union army fell back several miles, and built a
line of works ey+encling across the peninsula from the
Appomattox to the James. The Third Regiment was
encamped in the rear of a battery, where it was con
stantly exposed to fire from the rebel artillery, and lived
mainly in bomb-proof.
206 THE GREAT REBELLION.
On the 2d of June the rebels charged a portion of the
line held by the Seventh Connecticut, and drove- them
back on their reserves. The Third New Hampshire was
ordered to retake the lost ground, which was speedily
accomplished by a gallant charge of four companies,
commanded by Capt. Maxwell. They captured one
hundred and fifty prisoners, and lost eight men killed
and wounded.
On the 15th Gen. Grant's army crossed the James
river, and, joining Gen. Butler's left, advanced on
Petersburg. To meet this advance, Beauregard with
drew from Butler's front, and on the 16th a reconnois-
sance was made by the latter's whole force. Having
nearly reached the Petersburg and Richmond turnpike,
they met Picket's Division of Lee's army, hastening to
the assistance of Beauregard, and backed by the whole
army of Northern Virginia. Capt. Maxwell, with two
companies deployed as skirmishers, advanced toward
the turnpike. Having repulsed three advances of the
enemy, our forces were ordered to retire, and finally
reached their old line. During the fight the Third lost
about forty in killed and wounded. Lieut. Tredick was
mortally wounded, and died on the 6th of July. Cap
tains Maxwell and Libby, and Lieut. McCoy were sev
erally wounded. From the 13th of May to the 19th of
June inclusive, out of eight hundred and eighty-one,
which left Gloucester Point, the regiment lost in killed,
wounded and missing, two hundred and eighty-nine
men.
In July the regiment exchanged their Enfield for
Spencer rifles, a very effective breach-loader and seven-
shooter. Thus armed the troops were almost invinci
ble. On the 13 th of August the Tenth Corps moved
across the James river, to co-operate with the Second
Corps in an advance on Richmond. It marched to Deep
Bottom, thence through works occupied bv our troops
THIRD REGIMENT. 207
under Gen. Foster, to the extreme front, where a line
of battle was formed, the Third on the left of the brig
ade. The pickets of the enemy were forced back, and
the brigade advanced to an open field, fronting a line of
rebel earthworks, and here formed double column in
mass, to support a light battery, the Third having posi
tion on the right of the Seventh Connecticut. This po
sition was held, under fire, from early on the morning
of the 14th until four o'clock in the afternoon, when the
brigade moved to the right about one hundred yards,
and formed a line of battle. Lieut. Col. Plimpton was
ordered by Gen. Terry to hold the Third Regiment in
readiness to charge upon an advancing line of the
enemy. This position was held until ten o'clock in the
evening, when the army commenced a flank movement
to the right, in the direction of Malvern Hill, and biv-
ouaced for the night near New Market road from Deep
Bottom. The next day, the 15th, an attack was made
upon the enemy's lines, the Third, with its brigade be
ing held in reserve, where it was for three hours exposed
to the fire of shot, shell and canister from the rebel bat
teries posted in a belt of woods.
Early on the morning of the 16th the right wing of
the regiment was advanced as skirmishers through an
open field to the edge of a swamp, across which the
enemy were strongly intrenched. Sharp skirmishing
ensued, but with no decisive results, till about noon,
when it was determined to storm the enemy's position.
At the order, the Third with its brigade, charged on the
line of the rebel works, which they carried, taking a
large number of prisoners. From here another charge
was made through an open field, and under a terrific
fire from the enemy. This charge was repulsed, when
three counter-charges were made by the rebels in the
attempt to retake the first line, which were repulsed by
the Union troops. The Third was afterward ordered to
208 THE GREAT REBELLION.
retire. The loss of the regiment in this engagement
was very severe. Ten officers and eighty-three men
were killed, wounded or missing. Lieut. Col. Plimpton
was shot through the heart while leading the last charge.
Lieut. S. N. Lamprey was mortally wounded and died
in a few hours. Lieut. C. A. White was wounded and
left on the field, but afterward returned to join in the
fight, and had hardly reached the regiment when a bul
let struck his arm, passed through his lungs and out
at the left side — a distance of fifteen inches — notwith
standing which he eventually recovered. Capt. Wadlia
and Adjutant Copp were severely wounded. Lieuten
ants Eldridge, Ackerman, Donley, Giddings and Ather-
ton were more or less severely wounded. Lieut. Atherton
was shot through the lungs, left on the field and reported
killed, but was taken prisoner of war, soon after paroled,
exchanged and rejoined his regiment. The behavior of
the regiment in this engagement was highly commended
on all hands, and its record never stood better than at
the close of this bloody battle. Seven days more, and
the term of enlistment of many of the men would have
expired, yet they went in as cheerfully and fought as
bravely as though they had a reputation to make for
themselves which would follow them through a long
campaign. Entering the fight with less than two
hundred men, it captured and took to the rear about
three hundred prisoners, and sustained a loss of nearly
one-half its entire strength.
On the 20th of August the regiment returned to Ber
muda Hundred. The term of service of such of the
original members as had not re-enlisted expired on the
23d, and they were promptly mustered out and started
on their way home, under command of Capt. R. "W.
Houghton, and accompanied by Chaplain Hill, both well
beloved and honored officers, bearing with them, tat
tered, torn and pierced by many rebel balls, the beloved
THIRD REGIMENT. 209
colors presented them by the ladies of Hampstead, with
out a stain of dishonor upon it.
On the 24th of August the Tenth Corps crossed the
Appomattox, and went on duty in the trenches in front
of Petersburg. The duty was severe and casualties of
daily occurrence. It remained here until the 28th of
September, when it crossed the James river, and the
next day the Third participated in the advance on Lau
rel Hill and Chapin's Farm ; and the same afternoon
took part in the reconnoissance to within two miles of
Richmond, and in a similar movement on the 1st of
October. Major Randlett, who had been absent on leave
and on detached service, since he was wounded, joined
the regiment the last of September.
On the 7th of October the enemy made a vigorous at
tack on our lines, which the Third successfully repelled
until their ammunition was exhaused, captured thirty
prisoners and lost twenty-five killed and wounded. On
the 13th, at Darbytown Road, a charge was ordered to
be made by another brigade, and the Third was sent
to support it. The brigade broke and fled, leaving the
regiment alone, where it retained its position until or
dered to leave the field, and was withdrawn in good or
der, not a man falling from the ranks. On the 28th and
29th another attempt was made to dislodge the enemy
from Darbytown and Charles City Roads, in which the
Third participated, losing seventeen killed and wounded.
Captain Trickey and Lieut. McCoy were among the
wounded.
On the 2d of ISTovember the Third, with other regi
ments, embarked on steamers for New York City to pre
serve order at the Presidential election there. When
the election was over the}7 returned to Bermuda
Hundred, having been absent from the army seventeen
days. On this expedition the men suffered severely
from cold and hunger — the only food received being
210 THE GREAT REBELLION.
short rations of pork and hard bread. Major Randlett
was promoted to Lieut. Colonel on the lith of October,
and Capt. Trickey to Major on the 4th of January, 1865.
On the 15th of January, 1865, the Third Regiment
participated in the successful night assault upon Fort
Fisher. The garrison flag was hauled down by Capt.
Edgerly, of the Third, and given to Gen. Terry, and by
him to the Secretary of War. Shortly afterward a
movement was made upon a rebel force three miles to
the rear of Fort Fisher, in which the Third made a
charge and captured about sixty prisoners. In these
two battles the regiment lost four killed and ten
wounded. Major Trickey commanded the regiment
from the 20th of December, 1864, to the 17th of Feb
ruary, 1865, Lieut. Col. R-andlett having been left at
Laurel Hill with a portion of the regiment, but joined
the main body at the latter date.
On the 19th of February a movement was commenced
on "Wilmington. On the 22d, with the Third deployed
as skirmishers, the army entered Wilmington, which
had been abandoned by the enemy, and, having passed
through the city, the Third kept up a running fight;
drove the enemy across Smith's Creek; saved the
bridge which the rebels had fired, and captured a pon
toon bridge at North East Ferry, ten miles from Wil
mington. Lieut. Col. Randlett was appointed provost
marshal of Wilmington, and nearly half of the regiment
was detailed as provost guard. The remainder were
commanded by Major Trickey, until the return of Col.
Bedel, April llth, after his seventeen months of severe
imprisonment. He was received by the men with many
demonstrations of joy and respect.
While at Wilmington Surgeon A. J. H. Buzzell died
of disease, March 28th 1865. A writer said of him —
" A nobler man never lived ; a Christian and a patriot,
devoted thoroughly to his duties, and ambitious to serve
THIRD REGIMENT. 211
the best interests of the cause. In his death the coun
try lost a true man and soldier, the regiment a noble
benefactor. God bless his memory, will be the prayer
of every soldier of the Third New Hampshire."
In May a new stand of national colors was received
from the State, on which was inscribed the names of
the battles in which the regiment had been engaged.
This was prized as an evidence of the gallantry, valor,
and hard service of the regiment; but the love of the
old flags, which had been proudly borne in the numer
ous battle fields, was still as strong as ever in the heart
of every soldier who had followed and fought under
their tattered and riddled folds.
On the 3d of June Col. Bedel was ordered to proceed
with the regiment, and occupy the post of Golds-
borough, North Carolina. On the 10th and llth the
Sixth and Seventh Connecticut, and the Seventh New
Hampshire Regiments arrived at the Post and reported
to Col. Bedel, and he remained in command of the Post
till the return of Brevet Brig. Gen. Abbott from New
Hampshire, on the 5th of July.
On the 20th of July, 1865, the regiment was mustered
out of the service of the United States, and ordered to
New Hampshire for final discharge and payment. It
arrived at Concord on the 28th, with twenty-six officers
and three hundred and twenty-four men. Gov. Fred
erick Smyth, Adjutant General Natt Head, Col. Peter
Sanborn, State Treasurer, and Gen. M. T. Donohoe,
addressed the regiment in thrilling speeches, congratu
lating the survivors .on their safe return, and paying a
just tribute to the memory of the many gallant officers
and men who had sacrificed their lives in their country's
cause. Col. Bedel — appointed Brig. Gen. U. S. Volun
teers by brevet, July 22d, " for gallant and meritorious
service, to rank as such from March 13, 1865 " — and
Lieut. Col. Randlett responded for the regiment. The
212 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Hags were then returned to the Governor, and the regi
ment, after having partaken of a bountiful repast, gen
erously supplied, marched to the camp ground south of
the city, where the enlisted men were discharged and
paid off on the 2d of August, and the officers on the 3d
and 4th, and the Third New Hampshire Regiment of
Volunteers, equally distinguished for its orderly and
(soldierly conduct in its final discharged, as for gallantry
and valor in its many hard fought battles, ceased to ex
ist except in the pages of history.
During the four years' service on the Atlantic coast
in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Vir
ginia and North Carolina, the Third Regiment was en
gaged in the following sieges, battles, reconnoissances,
skirmishes, &c. :
1. Port Royal Harbor, S. C. November 7, 1861.
2. Elba Island, Ga. March 7, 1862.
3. Bluffton, S. C. March 16, 1862.
4. Jehossee, S. C. April 10, 14 and 17, 1862.
5. James Island, S. C. June 8, 1862.
6. Secessionville, S. C. June 16, 1862.
7. Pocotaligo, S. C. October 22, 1862.
8. May River, Fla. January 7, 1863.
9. Stono Inlet, S. C. April 7, 1863.
10. Morris Island, S. C. July 10, 1863.
11. Fort Wagner, S. C. July 18, 1863.
12. Siege of Wagner, S. C. July 18 to Sept. 7, 1863.
13. Siege of Sumter, S. C. Sept. 7, 1863, to March 1,1864.
14. Pilatka, Fla. April 3, 1864.
15. Chester Station, Va. May 9, 1864.
16. Drury's Bluff, Va. May 13 to 16, 1864.
17. Bermunda Hundred, Va. May 18, 1864.
18. Wier Bottom Church, Va. June 2, 1864.
19. Petersburg, Va. June 9, 1864.
20. Hatcher's ^Run, Va. June 16, 1864.
THIRD REGIMENT. 213
21. FlusselPs Mills, Va. August 16, 1864.
22. Siege of Petersburg, Ya. Aug. 24, to Sept. 29, 1864.
23. New Market Heights, Va. September 29, 1864.
24. Demon'tion towards R'd. Sept. 29, and Oct. 1, 1864.
25. New Market Road, Va, October 7, 1864.
26. Darbytown Road, Va. October 13, 1864.
27. Charles City Road, Va. October 27, 1864.
28. Fort Fisher, N. C. January 15, 1865.
29. Sugar Loaf Hill, N. C. February 11, 1865.
30. Wilmington, Smith's Creek, and North
East Ferry. February 22, 1865.
During its term of service the regiment had on its
rolls 1717 enlisted men, including 44 non-commissioned
staff and band, and 101 officers, making an aggregate
of 1818. Of these 190 were killed in battle or died of
wounds; 137 died of disease; 196 — nearly all substi
tutes — deserted ; 740 discharged — 300 by expiration of
term and 440 by reason of disability, &c.; 52 trans
ferred; 6 rejected; 2 dismissed; 3 shot for desertion;
6 missing in action, and not known whether killed, pris
oners, or deserters. Two hundred and seventy of the
regiment re-enlisted in January and February, 1864,
and are taken into account but once in the aggregate
of 1818. The casualties in wounded and prisoners were
487 wounded and 91 prisoners. Nearly all the prisoners
taken subsequent to the surprise and capture of Com
pany H, on Pinkney Island, August 21, 1862, lan
guished and died of starvation in southern prisons.
An officer of the regiment wrote — " To the excellent
corps of Surgeons and Assistant Surgeons attached to
the regiment, from its organization to its disbandrnent,
may be attributed the small number of deaths in the
regiment. Their moral and temperate habits, their in
tegrity as gentlemen, their skill as Surgeons, and faith
ful and prompt attention to duty, rendered them
214 THE GREAT REBELLION.
conspicuous. This was particularly the case with Sur
geons Buzzell and Kimball, than whom gio better Sur
geons belonged to the army."
The roll of honor comprises officers killed in battle
and died of wounds, as follows : Lieut. Col. PLIMPTON ;
Captains CARLTON, ELA and AYER; Adjutant LIBBY;
First Lieutenants BUTTON and LAMPREY; Second Lieu
tenants SCRUTON, "WlGGIN, ROBINSON, TREDICK and MOR-
RILL. Died of disease — Surgeon BUZZELL, First Lieu
tenant THOMPSON, and Second Lieutenant BRYANT.
FO URTH REGIMENT. 215
FOURTH REGIMENT.
The Fourth Regiment rendezvoused at Manchester.
After the organization of the Third there were two hun
dred men left in camp at Concord, who were sent to
Manchester as the nucleus of the Fourth Regiment.
The full number of men required was speedily enlisted,
sent to rendezvous, and the regiment was mustered into
the United States service on the 18th of September,
1861. Company A was enlisted at Dover, Company B
at Nashua, Company D at Laconia, Company F at
Great Falls, Company H at Salem, and Companies C,
E, G, I and K at Manchester, though many of the men
were from other towns in the State than those named.
The following were the field, staff and company officers,
with their record, from the organization to the mus
ter out of the regiment:
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Thomas J. "WTripple, of Laconia.
Resigned March 18, 1862.
Louis Bell, of Farmington.
Killed at Fort Fisher, N. C., Jan. 15, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Louis Bell, of Farmington.
Promoted to Colonel, May 16, 1862.
Gilman E. Sleeper, of Salem.
Discharged Nov. 27, 1863.
Jeremiah D. Drew, of Salem.
Discharged for disability Sept. 17, 1864.
Frank "W. Parker, of Manchester.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
Majors — Jeremiah D. Drew, of Salem.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel, Dec. 1, 1863.
216 THE G R F.A T R r-.BEL LION.
Charles W. Sawyer, of Dover.
Woundel May 16, 1864. Died of wounds June 22, 1864
George F. Towle, of Portsmouth.*
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Adjutants — Henry W. Fuller, of Concord.
Resigned October 29, 1862.
Charles A. Carlton, of Concord.
Promoted to A. A. Gen. Vols. July 18, 1864.
Timothy W. Challis, of Laconia.
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Quartermasters — John L. Kelley, of Manchester.
Promoted to A. Q. M , U. S. Vols. July 30, 1863.
Albert K. Tilton, of Concord.
Mu-tered out May 15, 1865.
Surgeons — Josiah C. Eastman, of Ilampstead.
Resigned October 7, 1862.
George P. Greely, of Nashua.
Honorably discharged October 23, 1864.
David P. Dearborn, of Weare.
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
First Ass't Surgeons — George P. Greeley, of Nashua.
Promoted to Surgeon October 8, 1862.
David L. M. Comings, of Swanzev.
Died of disease at Swanzey, August 1, 1868.
Charlea C. Beckley, of Plainiield.
Honorably discharged March 26, 1864.
David P. Dearborn, of Wcarc.
Promoted to Surgeon Nov. 9, 1864.
Second Ass't Surgeon — D. L. M. Comings, of Swanzey.
Promoted to First Ass't Surgeon, Oct. 8, 1862.
David P. Dearborn, of Weare.
Promoted to First Ass't Surgeon, May 2, 1864.
James P. Walker.
Discharged for disability, Nov. 2, 1864.
Henry F. Ward well, of Gorhain.
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Chaplains— Martin W. Willis, of Nashua.
Discharged for disability Jan. 27, 1862.
Liberty Billings, of Concord.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel U. S. C. T. Nov. 4, 1862.
"William II. Thomas, of Laconia.
Honorably discharged June 28, 1864.
Sergeant Majors — Charles L. Brown, of Manchester.
Vomoted to Second Lieut. March 22, 1862.
FO URTH REGIMENT. 217
William B. Stearns, of Amherst.
Promoted to Second Lieut. March 14, 1863.
William Smith.
Re-enlisted Feb. 15, 1864. Captured at Deep Run, Va., Aug. 16, 1864.
Paroled Feb. 24, 1865. Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Charles H. Smithford, of Salem.
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeants — Charles J. Kelley.
Discharged for disability Dec. 1, 1862,
Volney Piper, of Richmond.
Discharged for disability May 9, 1863.
William K. Norton, of Concord.
Re-enlisted Feb. 20, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 21, 1864.
Charles H. Moore, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 17, 1865.
Edward P. Hall, of Groton.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — Albert K. Tilton, of Concord.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Aug. 15, 1862.
John C. Dickerman.
Died at Folly Island, S. C. Aug. 1, 1863.
Benjamin F. Fogg, of Manchester.
Re-enlisted Feb. 18, 1864. Promoted to Second Lieut. March 1, 1865.
Lewis H. Cheney, of Canterbury.
Mustered out August 23, 1865
Hospital Stewards — Israel T. Hunt.
Discharged for disability July 12, 1862*
William H. Piper, of Concord.
Wounded Jan. 16, 1865. Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Francis H. Pike, of Manchester.
Mustered out Sept. 16, 1862.
Henry J. White.
Discharged for disability July 12, 1862.
Elias H. Bryant, of Francestown.
Mustered out October 10, 1864
Jacob E. W. Aspinwall, of Dover.
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Albert T. Kent, of Concord.
Mustered out August 23, 1865
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — Charles W. Sawyer, of Dover.
Promoted to Major Dec. 1, 1863.
218 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
Isaac W. Hobbs, of Great Falls.
Wounded July 18, 1864. Mustered out Nov. 7, 1864.
Matthew Adams, of New London.
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Joseph G. Wallace, of Dover.
irromoted to Captain May 17, 1862.
Henry W. Locke, of Rochester.
Promoted to Captain C. S. U. S. Vols. June 25, 1864.
Timothy W. Challis, of Laconia.
Promoted to Adjutant Nov. 9, 1864.
Louis McD. Hussy, of Rochester.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Henry W. Locke, of Rochester.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 17, 1862.
Amos L. Colburn, of Concord.
Transferred to Co. G Nov. 5, 1862.
Albert H. C. Jewett, of Gilford.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 14, 1864.
Henry S. Willey, of Farmin.ffton.
Discharged for disability Dec. 14, 1864.
Stephen T. Hall, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 23, 1865.
Co. B. — Captains — Richard 0. Greenleaf, of Nashua.
Mustered out Sept. 17, 1864.
Frederick A. Kendall, of Concord.
Honorably discharged Aug. 17, 1865.
First Lieuts. — George F. Towle, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 17, 1862.
Charles A. Carlton, of Concord.
Promoted to Adjutant Nov. 2, 1862.
Frederick A. Kendall, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 12, 1864.
Benjamin R. Wheeler, of Salem.
Promoted to Captain Nov 9, 1864.
Leonard A. Gay, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 23, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Charles A. Carlton, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 17, 1862.
Adelbert White, of Nashua.
Cashiered Nov. 30, 1862.
John W. Brewster, of Portsmouth.
Wounded Maj 20, 1864. Discharged for disability Sept. 14, 1864.
Co. C. — Captains- -Oilman E. Sleeper, of Salem.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel May 16, 1862.
FOURTH REGIMENT. 219
Joseph G. Wallace, of Dover.
Wounded severely Oct. 22, 1862. Wounded May 15, 1864. Discharged
for disability Sept. 14, 1864.
George W. Huckins, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. K.
Louis McD. Hussy, of Rochester.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
First Lieuts. — M. Y. B. Richardson, of Manchester.
Mustered out Sept. 17, 1864.
William K. Norton, of Concord.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Fred. A. Kendall, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 15, 1862.
Albert K Tilton, of Concord.
Promoted to Quartermaster, Aug. 1, 1863.
William D. Stearns, of Amherst.
Wounded May 20, 1864. Discharged for disability Sept. 14, 1864.
Patrick K. Dowd, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 2, 1865.
Co. D. — Captains — William Badger, of Laconia.
Cashiered June 4, 1864. Disability resulting from dismissal removed Jan.
21, 1865, by G. C. M., orders No. 20.
John H. Roberts, of Dover.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Chas. O. Jennison, of Manchester.
Resigned April 30, 1862.
David 0. Burleigh, of Laconia.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 7, 1862.
John H. Roberts, of Dover. v
Promoted to Captain Nov. 9, 1864.
George W. Quimby, of Kingston.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 17, 1865
Samuel II. Prescott, of Gilford.
Mustered out August 23, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — David 0. Burleigh, of Laconia.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 1, 1862.
John H. Roberts, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 7, 1862.
Timothy W. Challis, of Laconia.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 27, 1864.
Henry A. Mann, of Pembroke.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 2, 1865.
Co. E. — Captains — Thompson L. Newell, of Manchester.
Resigned Dec. 16, 1862.
220 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Frank "W. Parker, of Manchester.
Wounded Aug. 16, 1864. Promoted to Lieut. ^Colonel Jan. 3, 1865
William S. Barker, of Londonderry.
Discharged by special order No. 291, War Department, Adjt. Gen.'s office,
Washington, D. C., May 30, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Frank W. Parker, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 17, 1862.
Andrew J. Edgerly, of Manchester.
Dismissed by special order No. 119, par. 34, War Department, Adjutant
General's office, Washington, March 13, 1863.
Albert H. C. Jewett, of Gilford.
Mustered out Sept. 26, 1864.
Charles M. Whitney, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 23, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — A. J. Edgerly, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. January 17, 1862.
Harvey F. Wiggin, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 25, 1862.
Robert A. Seaver, of Manchester.
Resigned Jan. 24, 1863.
Frank B. Hutchinson, of Manchester.
Killed at Drury's Bluff, Va., May 15, 1864.
Co. F.— Captains— Orrin Brown, of Great Falls.
Cashiered Jan. 24, 1862.
George F. Towle, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Major Jan. 3, 1865.
Clarence L. Chapman, of Somersworth..
Honorably discharged May 17, 1865.
Eleazer L. Sarsons, of Nashua.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865
First Lieuts.— Isaac W. Hobbs, of Great Falls.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 1, 1863.
Amos L. Colburn, of Concord.
Wounded Aug. 16, 1864. Discharged on account of wounds Nov. 1, 1864.
Clarence L. Chapman, of Somersworth.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 17, 1865.
Charles H. Moore, of Nashua.
Honorably discharged May 15, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Charles II. Drummer, of Keene.
Resigned March 31, 1862.
Charles L. Brown, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. I March 22, 1862.
Benjamin R. Wheeler, of Salem.
Wounded May 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 12, 1864.
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 221
Benjamin F. Fogg, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 2, 1865.
Co. G. — Captains — Michael O. Flvnn, of Manchester.
Resigned Oct. 2, 1862.
William W. Mayne, of Manchester.
Wounded severely Oct. 22, 1862. Dismissed Jan. 4, 186-4. Reinstated Feb.
10, 1864. Discharged for disability Sept. 14, 1864.
Edward Whitford, of Bedford.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Charles W. Hurd, of Manchester.
Resigned March 21, 1862.
William W. Mayne, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 3, 1862.
Daniel Gile, of Manchester.
Captured at Deep Run, Va., Aug. 18, 1864. Paroled. Honorably dis
charged April 28, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Wm. W. Mayne, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 22, 1862.
David P. Dearborn, of Weare.
Resigned Nov. 4, 1862.
Amos L. Colburn, of Concord.
Transferred to Co. K.
James F. Gilpatrick, of Nashua.
Mustered out Aug 23, 1865.
Co. IL — Captains — Joseph M. Clough, of New London.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Mustered out Sept. 17, 1864.
Abner L. Knowlton, of Sanbornton.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Israel L. Drew, of Lawrence, Ms.
Died at Annapolis, Md., .NOV. 4, 1861.
Hiram C. Tuttle, of Concord.
Died at Concord, Feb. 7, 1863.
Henry M. Hicks, of Haverhill.
Honorably discharged Sept. 14, 1864.
Abner L. Knowlton, of Sanbornton.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 17, 1865.
Alfred Marland, of Haver-de-Grace, Md.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Hiram C. Tuttle, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 17, 1862.
Norman Burdick, of Milford.
Discharged Nov. 12, 1862.
Henry M. Hicks, of Haverhill.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 8, 1863.
222 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Matthew Adams, of New London.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Promoted to Captain Nov. 21, 1864.
John Fullerton, of Bedford.
Mustered out Aug= 23, 1865.
Co. I. — Captains — Nathan li. Brown, of Derry.
Resigned Oct. 6, 1862
Davia O. Burleigh, of Loconia.
Cashiered June 4, 1804.
George F. Quimby, of Kingston.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
First Lieut*.— W. S. Pillsbury, of Londonderry.
Resigned Oct. 20, 1861.
Daniel Q. Cole, of Concord.
Resigned Oct. 24, 1862.
Henry F. Wigghi, of Dover.
^ Promoted to Adjutant Sept. 12, 1864.
Edwin Whitford, of Bedford.
Promoted to Captain March 1, 1865.
Lorenzo D. Huntress, of Eftingham.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — True Sanborn, Jr., of Chichester.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 12, 1862.
Benjamin R. Wheeler, of Salem.
Transferred to Co. F June 12, 1862.
Charles L. Brown, of Manchester.
Died of disease at Folly Island, S. C., June 3, 1863.
Francis H. Davis, of Laconia.
Wounded May 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 9, 1864.
Eben Weed, of Haverhill.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 23, 1865.
Co. K. -Captains — Jonathan R. Bagley, of Manchester.
"Resigned Jan. 13, 1862.
Ephraim C. Currier, of Danville.
Died at Beaufort, S. C., Aug. 12, 1862
True Sanborn, Jr., of Chichester.
Discharged for disability Nov. 2, 1864.
George W. Huckins, of Manchester.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Ephraim C. Currier, of Danville.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 17, 1862.
Charles M. Currier, of Manchester.
Resigned June 11, 1862.
True Sanborn, Jr., of Chichester.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 15, 1862,
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 223
George ~W. Huckins, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 9, 1864.
William S. Barker, of Londonderry.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 17, 1865.
Joseph Wingate, of Rochester.
Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865.
Second Lieut.— Charles X. Tilton, of Sanbornton.
Resigned Jan. 16, 1862.
George "W. Huckins, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 25, 1862.
Amos L. Colburn, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 1, 1863.
Stephen J. Wentworth, of Somersworth.
Wounded June 6, 1864. Killed at Deep Run, Va., Aug. 16, 1864.
All the Field and several of the Company officers in
the Fourth were officers in the First Regiment, and had
knowledge of the duties required of them. Col. Whip-
pie was Lieut. Colonel of the First, and also held a
commission in the Mexican war. Lieut. Colonel Bell,
Major Drew, Quartermaster Kelley, Capt. Greenleaf,
and Capt. Sleeper were Captains in the First Regiment,
and many of the other officers and soldiers had served
three months in that regiment.
COL. THOMAS J. WHIPPLE.
Col. Whipple was born at Wentworth on the 30th of
January, 1816, and is a son of Dr. Thomas Whipple, of
that town. He graduated at the military University at
Norwich, Vermont, under the instruction of Col. Ran
som, who was killed in the Mexican War. He read law
with Hon. Josiah Quincy, of Rumney, and after being
admitted to the bar commenced practice at Meredith,
now Laconia. In April, 1847, he was appointed First
Lieutenant in the Ninth United States Infantry, and
Adjutant of the same regiment in May following. He
went with his regiment to Vera Cruz, and while on a
visit to a Catholic cemetery in the neighborhood of the
224
THE GREAT REBELLION.
city, in company with private R. IT. A. Barnes, of his
regiment, was taken prisoner. When tieut. Whipple
and his companion came to the gate of the cemetery
they were confronted by three Mexicans, who had dis
mounted from their horses, with their guns pointed at
them. Lieut, Whipple was armed with a sword, and
placed himself at once against the wall, and prepared
for a defense. Barnes, who was unarmed, made the
best of his way through the cemetery to the camp.
The Mexicans made at Whipple, who stoutly defended
himself. One of them hit him a blow upon the head,
which stunned but did not injure him, as the blow, meet
ing a parry, struck flatwise upon Whipple's head. Re-
covering himself he went at his antagonists again, when
they retreated a few paces and brought their guns to
bear upon him, indicating by signs, which Lieut. Whip-
pie well understood, that if he did not surrender they
would fire. He finally surrendered, and was taken
away upon a mustang, while his own horse was appro
priated by ojie of his captors. Barnes on reaching camp
gave the alarm, and a detachment was sent out in search
of Whipple, but the guerillas had escaped with their
captive. He was a prisoner several months and was
kindly treated. He was subsequently exchanged, join
ed his regiment, and distinguished himself at Atlixco,
where he was volunteer Aid-de-camp to Brig. Gen.
Lane. Adjutant Whipple resigned in February, 1848.
and resumed the practice of law at Laconia.
Col. Whipple was assistant clerk of the New Hamp
shire House of Representatives in 1848, and clerk in
1849, '50, '51, and 52. In 1849 he was appointed Solic
itor for Belknap County, which office he held four years.
When the war of the rebellion broke out, in April 1861,
Col. Whipple was appointed Lieut. Colonel of the
First Regiment, and his military knowledge, acquired
both at Xorwich, Yt., and in the Mexican war, was of
FO URTH REGIMENT. 225
great service in organizing and disciplining the regi
ment. He was mustered out with his regiment, at the
end of its term of enlistment, August 9, 1861. On
the 20th of the same month he was appointed Colonel
of the Fourth Regiment, and resigned in March, 1862.
His courage and patriotism as an officer were never called
in question. He is now engaged in an extensive law
practice at Laconia, and in the cultivation of a fine
farm. He is a gentleman of marked ability as an advo
cate, is eminently social and genial, and has many
warm friends.
GEN. LOUIS BELL.
Louis Bell was the youngest son of the late Gov.
Samuel Bell, and was born in Chester, March 8th, 1837.
Among his older brothers were Dr. Luther Y. Bell, long
at the head of the McLean Asylum for the Insane, at
Somerville, Mass., Hon. James Bell, a distinguished
lawyer and United States Senator, and Hon. Samuel
D. Bell, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court.
After completing his preparatory studies at Berry
and at Gilford, he entered Brown University, at Provi
dence, R. I., where he graduated at the age of eighteen
years. His taste and aptitude for athletic and martial
exercises had made him desirous of an appointment to
the Military Academy at West Point, and, at a later
period, of a commission in the army ; but circumstan
ces prevented the accomplishment of either of these
wishes. The same inclination, however, led him to di
rect his reading and study largely to military subjects,
a circumstance which was of great advantage to him in
his subsequent career.
He then prepared himself for the legal profession,
and was admitted to the bar in 1857, establishing himself
in Farmington. His ability and high personal charac-
226 THE GREAT REBELLION
ter at once secured him friends and clients. In 1859 he
received the appointment of Justice of fche Police Court
of Farmington, and two years later, that of Solicitor of
the County of Strafford.
The breaking out of the rebellion found Mr. Bell
married, and fairly established in business, with the
most flattering professional prospects for the future.
But President Lincoln's call for volunteers in April, 1861,
was an appeal to his patriotism and military spirit which
was irresistible. He immediately offered his services to
Gov. Goodwin, and was appointed Captain of Company
A in the First Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers.
The organization was rapidly completed, and the regi
ment leaving Concord May 25, 1861, proceeded directly
to Washington. During their three months' term of
service they were stationed on the line of the Potomac,
above Washington, and engaged chiefly in picket duty,
a service sufficiently responsible and trying, but afford
ing few incidents worthy of special mention. Capt.
Bell discharged his duties faithfully and creditably, and
returned with the regiment to New Hampshire, thor
oughly acquainted with the practical part of a soldier's
life, and having gained the respect and esteem of offi
cers and men.
The Fourth New Hampshire Regiment was then about
being formed, and Capt. Bell was immediately commis
sioned as its Lieutenant Colonel. On the 27th of Septem
ber, 1861, that regiment left the State, and constituted a
part of the expedition against Port Royal and Beaufort,
S. C. At the latter post Gen. T. W. Sherman was in
command. He was struck with the efficiency and sol
dierly qualities of Lieut. Col. Bell, and made him his
Inspector General and chief of staff. This place he
continued to hold, to the General's entire satisfaction,
during the whole period of Sherman's stay in the
department.
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 227
In the discharge of this duty, he was in December
sent hy Gen. Sherman, in a light steamer, to make a
reconnoissance around Port Royal Island. He succeeded
in unearthing a concealed rebel battery, which opened
fire upon the steamer, with the effect of slightly wound
ing Col. Bell and one of his men.
Upon the resignation of Col. "Whipple, Col. Bell suc
ceeded in March, 1862, to the command of the Fourth
Regiment. In April he was ordered with seven compa
nies to occupy the fortified town of St. Augustine, Flo
rida. His administration of affairs there was extremely
judicious and efficient. The position being much ex
posed, its works were put into a thoroughly defensible
condition; the troops were admirably organized and
trained, and the civil government of the town was con
ducted in a manner completely satisfactory.
In October, 1862, Col. Bell again united his command
at Beaufort, to join the expedition designed to cut the
railroad between Charleston and Savannah, at the Poco-
taligo river. Although the Fourth Regiment had in
detachments seen some skirmishing, this was their first
appearance as an organization in any serious engage
ment, but they acquitted themselves with much credit,
and acted as rear-guard on the retreat. Their loss was
about thirty men, killed and wounded. Col. Bell, who
led his men gallantly, was here again slightly wounded
by a splinter from a shell.
In the Spring of 1863 began the series of operations
against Charleston and its defenses. The Fourth Regi
ment was employed the greater part of the summer on
engineer duty, in working among the hot sands of Folly
and Morris Islands. Here Col. Bell had an opportunity
to put in practice some of the knowledge which he had
acquired years before, while intending to enter the mili
tary profession. He experimented, with a good degree
of success, in the preparation of a new shell-fuse, de-
228 THE GREAT REBELLION.
signed to obviate some of the difficulties experienced in
mortar practice, and of a " Greek fire,"«to be conveyed
in shells for the purpose of producing conflagrations.
In April, 1864, Col. Bell was ordered with his regi
ment, to report to Gen. Butler, to join the Army of the
James. He was placed in command of a brigade,
consisting of the Fourth New Hampshire, Thirteenth
Indiana, Mnth Maine, One Hundred Seventeenth New
York, and Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania Regiments,
with which he took part in the affair at Swift Creek, in
the severe engagement at Drury's Bluff, and in the
series of struggles on the 17th, 20th and 21st of May.
He also held the left of the line in the battle at Cold
Harbor, and, after the subsequent flank movement, led
his brigade to the assault of two of the forts before
Petersburg, which he carried in handsome style, being
himself among the first to enter the works.
He was also engaged with his command in the unfor
tunate " Mine " assault, and conducted himself so well
that he was one of the few general officers concerned
who escaped without censure, in the report of the
Board that investigated the affair.
Of both the expeditions against Fort Fisher, Col.
Bell's brigade formed a part. When Gen. Terry was
selected to undertake the second, it was clear to every
mind that there was to be no failure, whatever the cost
of success.
In the final assault upon the works, now strengthened
in every possible way, and defended with desperation,
Col. Bell's brigade formed the third line of attack. At
the signal for their advance, they pushed forward in
admirable order, their leader, as was his custom, at
their head, into the storm of fire. The Colonel had just
congratulated a brother officer on the splendid behavior
of the men, as they reached the ditch in front of the
work, and a bullet from the rifle of a sharpshooter, on
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 229
the crest of the parapet above them, struck him in the
left breast and passed downward through his body.
He fell, mortally wounded, and was tenderly borne by
his comrades to the rear. But he would not leave the
field till he could see the colors of his regiment upon
the fort, and it was but a moment before his dying
wish was gratified, and the tattered ensign of the Fourth
was planted upon the ramparts of the captured strong
hold.
With the going down of the sun his life ebbed away,
and the morning saw the spirit of the loyal, chivalrous
an'd accomplished soldier winging its flight from earth.
On the day after the costly purchase of the national
triumph, the Secretary of War arrived at Fort Fisher.
By command of President Lincoln, he conferred upon
Col. Bell the brevet rank of Brigadier General, dating
from January 15th, the day when he received his fatal
wound.
Such is a brief sketch of the career of one of the
noblest men who laid his life upon the altar of his
country. Strictly conscientious in the performance of
duty, thoroughly skilled in every detail of his position,
tenderly solicitous for the safety and comfort of his men,
and sharing every hardship and danger with them, hon
orable, patriotic and eminent for prudence, coolness and
courage, he was universally beloved and respected.
The Fourth Regiment left Manchester for "Washing
ton, D. C., on the 27th of September, receiving the
customary hospitalities and attentions on the way, and
arrived there on the 30th. They went into camp on the
Bladensburg road, about a mile and a half from the
city, immediately after which they were armed with
Belgium rifles, and were at once put to drilling. The
regiment remained here until the 9th of October, when
they started to join Gen. Sherman's Expeditionary
230 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
Corps, at Annapolis, Md., where they arrived the same
day. The regiment was brigaded witk the Sixth and
Seventh Connecticut, and Ninth Maine, under command
of Brig. Gen. H. G. Wright, who was subsequently the
popular commander of the Sixth Army Corps.
On the 19th the regiment embarked on board the
steamer Baltic, and in company with the rest of the
expedition, sailed for Fortress Monroe, where it remain
ed until the 29th, awaiting the preparation of the Navy,
when the whole land and naval forces sailed under
orders, the import of which was known only to the com
mander of the expedition. The Baltic had in tow the
ship Ocean Express, loaded with ammunition and ord
nance. On the 30th the wind became strong and the
sea rough, which threatened danger to the less staunch
vessels of the fleet. About two o'clock the next morn
ing the Baltic struck on Frying Pan Shoals with a tre
mendous crash. For a time there was imminent danger
of a complete shipwreck, and the wildest excitement
prevailed on board the Baltic. The steamer was finally
relieved from her perilous condition, when a terrible
gale ensued, which continued three days. On arrival at
Port Royal, on the 4th of November, where the rest of
the fleet had assembled, it was ascertained that the
vessels Commodore Perry and Governor had been lost,
though every person on board had been almost miracu
lously saved. The Baltic was ordered to put to sea,
and cruise about to find the Ocean Express, which was
cut loose from the Baltic when she struck upon Frying
Pan Shoals. She returned the next day, after an unsuc
cessful search. During the storm the steamer Union
had been driven ashore, and Quartermaster Sergeant
Kelley, of the Fourth, with a squad of men, and the
crew of the steamer, were made prisoners.
On the morning of the 7th of November the gunboats
commenced an attack on the rebel works at Hilton
FO URTH REGIMENT. 231
Head, and the Wabash, Pawnee and Sabine opened
their terrible broadsides on the enemy's batteries. For
five hours about one shell per second fell upon each of
the forts. Fifteen thousand men clustered in the rig
ging and around the masts of the transports, to witness
the grand spectacle. The fleet gradually neared the
shore, and the rebel gunners replied but feebly and at
intervals. At two o'clock no response was received
from the forts. The rebels left their intrenchments,
and an hour later the stars and stripes superseded the
rebel flag on the parapet, while the troops and sailors
rent the air with their cheers. After nineteen days of
confinement on shipboard, the Fourth went ashore at
Hilton Head. The victory of the Navy was complete
and glorious, with but very small loss. Nineteen can
non were captured and an important post had been
taken.
The Fourth passed three months at Hilton Head, at
work on fortifications, erecting wharves and landing
stores, drilling only at intervals. At inspection one day
Col. Whipple rebuked a soldier for having a dirty gun.
" I know my gun is dirty," replied the man, " but I've
got the brightest shovel you ever saw, Colonel." The
soldier's wit saved him from punishment. The arduous
duties performed, together with the change of climate,
told upon the health of the men, and funerals were of
daily occurrence.
Early in January, 1862, the Chaplain, M. W. Willis,
was discharged on account of ill health. On the 21st,
the Fourth, with other regiments, sailed from Hilton
Head on an expedition down the coast. They came
to an anchorage at "Warsaw Sound, Georgia, and the
troops were landed on Warsaw Island, a marshy, un
healthy spot, and remained on shore and on board,
awaiting the arrival of the navy, until the 28th of Feb
ruary, when the exuedition started again, and the next
232 TEE QREA T REBELLION.
day arrived within twelve miles of Fernandina, Florida.
On the 2d of March it was ascertained that the rebels
•
had evacuated the place, and Fernandina and Bruns
wick were occupied by our troops, the Fourth being
encamped in the town.
On the 8th of March the regiment, except Companies
E and F, which were left at Fernandina, under com
mand of Capt. Towle, as a provost guard, embarked on
the steamer Boston, and in company with six gunboats
proceeded down the coast and anchored for the night.
The next morning the soldiers were distributed among
the gunboats as sharpshooters. One boat crossed the
bar and found that the batteries commanding the en
trance to the river, which, with those further up, were
very strong, had been evacuated — the enemy leaving
their guns and every thing in perfect order, without
having fired a shot. The fleet proceeded up the St.
Johns River, and found that the rebels were burning
lumber and saw mills along its banks, most of which
belonged to northern men. They had also burned two
gunboats which were being built at Jacksonville. On
the 12th, the regiment, except Company C, which was
left at Mayport, and Company I, which went down the
river with the Hurn, reached Jacksonville, where the
inhabitants generally received them with gladness.
Some of the inhabitants had left however, and large
quantities of furniture and personal baggage were left
in their hurry, piled up ready for transportation.
On the 13th an advanced picket line was established,
which was fired on the next day by scouts in the woods,
and apprehending an attack, the supports fell back
under cover of the gunboats, and barricaded the streets.
"No attack was made, however. On the 15th Company
G, having found a quantity of rum in the town, imbibed
it very freely, got drunk, and mutinied. Companies H
K charged bayonets on them, disarmed and ironed
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 233
the leaders, and in the melee one member of Company
G was killed. On the 17th a reconnoissance was made
by Company H, five miles into the country, but a
deserted camp of the enemy was all that was found.
About this time, Colonel Whipple having resigned, his
resignation was accepted, and he left the regiment to
the regret of almost every officer and man. He was an
excellent disciplinarian and an accomplished soldier.
Lieut. Colonel Bell was promoted to Colonel, and Capt.
Gilman E. Sleeper, of Company C, was promoted to
Lieut, Colonel. While at Jacksonville the Fourth per
formed much arduous duty. A skirmish occurred on
picket in which the regiment lost two men killed, three
wounded, and four taken prisoners.
On the 8th of April General Hunter ordered the place
evacuated, and Col. Bell with seven companies, was sent
to garrison St. Augustine, on the coast. Companies B,
H and K, under command of Major Drew, embarked
on the 8th of June for James Island, South Carolina,
and were temporarily assigned to the brigade com
manded by Colonel Welch, of the Forty-fifth Pennsylva
nia, and took part in several skirmishes and the engage
ment at James Island, under Gen. Benham, but met
with no loss. On the 12th of the same month tbese
three companies were ordered to Beaufort, South Caro
lina, and constituted a part of the garrison of the town
during the summer. The seven companies stationed at
St. Augustine passed the summer there without casual
ties or incidents worthy of note. Fort Marion was
put in good repair and the city in a state of defense.
In September they were relieved by the Seventh New
Hampshire, and joined the detachment at Beaufort.
General Mitchell assumed command of the Department,
and preparations were made for active movements.
The Fourth was brigaded with the Third New Hamp
shire, the Sixth Connecticut, Forty-seventh !N"ew York,
234 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and Henry's Battery, commanded by Brig. Gen. Bran-
nan. The Fourth participated in the battle of Pocotal-
igo, an account of which is given in the history of the
movements of the Third Regiment. The plan was- to
capture the pickets and surprise the garrison, while a
detachment in a light draught boat were to proceed up
the river and burn the bridge. This plan was frustrated
by a delay on the part of the gunboats, which gave the
rebels time to obtain re-enforcements. The troops land
ed and marched four miles, when the Forty-seventh
New York engaged the enemy. Henry's Battery was
thrown forward, supported by the Fourth New Hamp
shire, which came under a heavy artillery fire in a small
cotton field, through which ran the road to the bridge.
The regiment formed line of battle and advanced to a
marsh two hundred yards wide, on the opposite side of
which was a rebel battery which hastily retreated. A
sharp running skirmish of two miles ensued, in which
a caisson and several prisoners were captured. The
line was met by a raking fire from the defenses of the
bridge, four hundred yards distant, across an impassable
marsh, and only accessible by a narrow road. Trains
loaded with re-enforcements were distinctly seen, show
ing that further advance with the small force was im
practicable. A heavy fire of musketry and artillery was
opened upon both sides which lasted until night, when
the Union troops were quietly withdrawn — the Fourth
taking the rear of the retreat. In this engagement the
regiment lost three men killed and twenty-five wound
ed. Colonel Bell was struck by the splinter of a shell.
Capt. Wallace and Lieut. Mayne were both severely
wounded by the same ball. Not a man flinched from
his duty. For a time Col. Bell was disabled by his
wound, and the regiment was commanded by Lieut. Col.
Sleeper. Before night, however, Col. Bell returned
and resumed command. The expedition failed and the
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 235
regiment returned and went into winter-quarters at
Beaufort, South Carolina, where they remained for five
months doing picket duty and drilling. Thanksgiving
and Christmas were observed in true New England
fashion.
During the year that had elapsed since the Fourth
left the State, many changes had taken place in its or
ganization. One colonel, two captains, three first lieu
tenants and two second lieutenants had resigned; eleven
officers had been promoted, and eight men had been
promoted to officers from the ranks. One captain had
been dismissed ; Capt. Currier and Lieut. Drew, and
twenty-four men had died of disease ; three had been
drowned, one killed by the enemy, and two by accident.
The spring of 1863 opened with a great expedition
against Charleston. On the 4th of April the Fourth
Regiment received marching orders, embarked on trans
ports and proceeded to Hilton Head, where it was brig
aded with the Third and five companies of the Seventh
New Hampshire, and Sixth Connecticut. The brigade
was commanded by Col. H. S. Putnam, of the Seventh,
and the division by Gen. A. H. Terry. The troops sail
ed from Hilton Head to Stono Inlet, and remained on
board awaitng the result of the bombardment of Fort
Sumter by the navy. The navy not having succeeded
in taking the fort, the troops were carried back to Hil
ton Head on the llth of April. The brigade organiza
tion was disbanded and the regiment went into camp.
On the 17th of April a new brigade was organized,
consisting of the Third and Fourth New Hampshire,
the Sixth Connecticut, and a battalion of Sharpshooters,
all under the command of Col. Louis Bell, of the
Fourth, and assigned to Gen. Terry's division. On the
18th another expedition against Charleston was inaugu
rated, under Gen. Gillmore, who was in command of
the Department. The troops on transports arrived at
236 THE GREAT REBELLION.
North Edisto River on the 19th, and had another time
on shipboard, awaiting the arrival of the navy. On the
28th it was decided to abandon the expedition, and the
whole force, both land and naval, sailed for Stono River,
and the brigade was again broken up. The next day
the Fourth arrived at Stono Inlet, disembarked on Folly
Island and reported to Gen. Vogdes, commanding the
United States forces on the island. The regiment en
camped within two miles of the enemy's works on Mor
ris Island, in a thick growth of pines, from whose tops
Charleston harbor, with the surrounding forts could be
plainly seen. During several weeks the time was occu
pied in building fortifications and picketing the northern
extremity of the island, about fifty yards from the rebel
pickets, across a little inlet on Morris Island. The
pickets agreed not to fire on each other, and had very
agreeable intercourse, exchanged tobacco, coffee, and
newspapers, sent across the inlet in small boats. The
ladies occasionally came down from Charleston to take
a look at the Yanks, and so the time passed, until the
first of June, when the rebels, to save the cargo of a
blockade runner, which had been grounded off Light
House Inlet, midway between the two islands, opened
a heavy fire upon the Union pickets, who built breast
works of such light materials as were at hand, and
screened from the view of the rebels by the thick bushes
that lined the shore, and a dense thicket in the back
ground, constructed masked batteries, unbeknown to
the enemy, who supposed the sand works they could
see were only protections to the pickets, and neglected
to strengthen their fortifications, which might have
been made impregnable to any direct assault. Thus
the attempt to save the cargo of the blockade runner
led to the capture of the island.
On the night of the 17th of June, Company B, of the
Fourth Regiment, commenced the first works in the
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 237
last long siege of Charleston. One man was killed by
a piece of shell. For twenty-one nights, and nearly as
many days, the regiment constructed masked batteries,
working in silence, no one being allowed to speak above
a whisper. On the morning of the 8th of July the
work was completed. Forty-four guns and mortars
were in position, the magazine filled, and the embra
sures cleared. Severe labor and want of sleep had so
exhausted the men that they were obliged to relinquish
the completion of the work they had so faithfully com
menced, to fresh troops, drilled for the purpose. The
Fourth joined Gen. Terry's command, and participated
in a diversion upon James Island. On the morning of
the 10th the batteries opened simultaneously upon the
enemy, who were taken completely by surprise. A rebel
officer, while surveying our pickets through a glass,
suddenly exclaimed "By , the Yanks have mounted
a gun over there." At that moment forty-four " peace
makers " rained iron upon him. The advance was
halted by the guns of Fort Wagner, and after two des
perate and bloody charges it was determined to take
that formidable work by regular approaches. On the
same day the Fourth Regiment returned from James
Island, and a lodgment having been effected by our
forces on Morris Island, the Fourth was selected, for its
coolness in working under fire, to report to Major
Brooks, of Gen. Gillmore's staff, and in charge of siege
works, for engineer duty.
The approaches, consisting of five parallels, connected
by " covered ways " or " zigzags," were carried for five
hundred yards over a sandy strip of land, not three-
fourths as wide as Fort Wagner, and bounded by marsh
and ocean. At spring tide the surf filled the trenches.
In front were forts Wagner, Gregg and Sumter ; a little
to the right of Sumter was Fort Moultrie, and to the
left Fort Johnson, and a long line of batteries on James
238 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Island, designated by the men after 'their respective
characters, as "Bull of the Woods,". "Mud Digger,"
" Peanut Battery," etc. The firp of all these forts and
batteries was concentrated on this narrow compass — the
work-shop of thousands, upon which mortars, Colum-
biads, Blakeleys, Armstrongs, Brooks and Whitworths,
and shells of every calaber and kind, from the thirteen-
inch mortar to the vindictive Whitworth, unceasingly
fell. Shout " Cover " to any survivor of that terrible
siege, and he will unwittingly look in the air for a com
ing shell. The storm of iron was attended by a contin
ual " zeeb " of bullets from Fort Wagner. On the
night of the 23d of July the Fourth planted chevaux-de-
frise, and dug a trench for the parallel. In this terri
ble place, on the hot blistering sand, and under the blaz
ing sun of South Carolina, or in the murky darkness of
night, lighted by bursting shells, these defenders of the
Union toiled unflinchingly for forty-six days. Bodies
of the dead and wounded were continually being carried
from the trenches. In the fierce excitement of battle,
it is comparatively easy to face death, but to advance
slowly, day after day, amid the dead and dying is far
more horrible than charging the cannon's mouth. Con
stant labor, the intense heat, and brackish water, caused
disease which disabled more than half the number;
and indeed those who stoutly resisted and manfully per
formed their duties became almost ghastly thin.
In the meantime Fort Sumter was rendered a huge,
inoffensive pile of brick dust. The " Swamp Angel "
tossed shells into the doomed city, and a sap was dug
from the fifth parallel to the very ditch of Fort Wagner.
On the morning of the 7th of September the line was
formed for a final charge, when the news came that the
fort was evacuated. For once the shovel had triumphed
over the bayonet. Fort Gregg shared the same fate,
and both were afterward rebuilt and named for Gen-
FOURTH REGIMENT. 239
eral Strong and Colonel Putnam, both of whom fell in
process of their reduction. The cool air of autumn
brought renewed health, and the winter was passed in
the ordinary routine of garrison and fatigue duty in the
various forts and on picket duty on the island.
About the middle of January, 1864, the Fourth was
ordered to Beaufort, (South Carolina, where it was on
garrison duty, and where the work of re-enlisting com
menced under charge of Capt. F. W. Parker. In a
week three hundred men had enlisted anew for three
years, or during the war.
On the 20th of February the regiment embarked on
transports and proceeded to Hilton Head, and thence to
Wilmington Island, up the Savannah river, and landed
on "Wibmarsh Island, seven or eight miles from Savan
nah, for the purpose of capturing a large number of
negroes, engaged, under the direction of the rebel
troops, in erecting fortifications to defend the approaches
to the city. The force consisted of the Fourth New
Hampshire and Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania, under com
mand of Col. Ho well, of the latter regiment. The ex
pedition proved a failure, the troops re-embarked, and
the Fourth was ordered to proceed at once to Jackson
ville, Florida, where they arrived on the 23d, and were
at once put- at work erecting defenses for the city, pre
paratory for an expected attack from the enemy, which,
however, did not come. On the 26th the regiment
again embarked and sailed for Beaufort, South Caro
lina, where they arrived the next day.
The number of re-enlisted men had been increased to
three hundred and eighty-eight — the largest number
re-enlisted in any New Hampshire regiment — all of
whom received a furlough for thirty days, and under
command of Colonel Bell, started for New Hampshire,
and arrived on the 7th of March. The new recruits
and the original men of the regiment who did not
240 THE GREAT REBELLION.
re-enlist, to the number of over two hundred, remained
at Beaufort, under command of Lieut. •Colonel Drew.
On the 12th of April this detatchment sailed for
Fortress Monroe, and reported to General Butler, com
manding the Department of Virginia and North Carolina.
They were ordered to Gloucester Point, York River.
During the month the veterans returned, and the
Fourth was brigaded with the Eighth Maine, Fifty-fifth
and Mnety-seventh Pennsylvania, under command of
Col. R. White, of the Fifty-fifth, General Ames com
manding the division, which formed a part of the Tenth
Army Corps, in the Army of the James.
On the 4th day of May this army started on trans
ports for Bermuda Hundred, up the James river, where
they arrived on the 6th. A line of works extending
from the Appomattox to the James, six miles from Ber
muda Hundred, was immediately thrown up. On the
9th an advance was made, and Ames' division tore up
several miles of the Petersburg and Richmond Railroad,
and then, by a hasty march, joined the Eighteenth Corps
at Swift Creek, where the enemy in force were attacked,
and after a sharp fight, driven to the defenses of Peters
burg, on the Appomattox. At night the rebels made
a charge, but were severely repulsed. Next morning,
heavy firing was heard in the direction of Gen. Terry's
command, stationed at Lempster Hill, to repel any
advance from Richmond. Ames' Division hurried to
the scene of action, but did not arrive until after the
enemy had been handsomely repulsed. After one day's
rest the army of the James started " on to Richmond."
Slight skirmishing occurred on the first day. At night
a heavy rain set in, and the troops lay down to rest upon
ground where the rebel General Hoke had encamped the
night before. The next day the Fourth advanced along
the railroad, the Eighteenth Corps having the right
and the Tenth Corps the left. A few hours brought
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 241
them to the first line of the defenses of Richmond,
when skirmishing at once commenced. A rattling fire
was kept up until nearly night, when Terry's Division,
having made a detour, came upon the rebel fiank, and
the Third New Hampshire, supported by the Seventh,
made a desperate and bloody charge. The Fourth was
ordered to charge the works in front, and forward they
went with a rush, over fences and ditches, and planted
the flag on the ramparts which the enemy had hastily
left. Gen. Gillmore now rode up amid repeated cheers.
The Eighteenth Corps captured the right of the line
the same evening, and thus the outer line of defenses was
secured. The storm which had not ceased, raged with
greater fury than ever, when news came that a large
cavalry force was advancing on the Union line of com
munication, to cut off their supplies, so through a
drenching rain, deep mud and intense darkness, the
Fourth hurried to guard against this threatened attack.
At Chesterfield Court House, five miles from the start
ing point, they were met by a volley from the enemy's
carbines. Two companies were thrown out as skirmish
ers, and the regiment was formed in hollow square to
receive cavalry, and there, having reached the point to
be guarded they remained all night. Early next morn
ing the regiment was ordered back to aid in taking the
second line of the enemy's works on Drury's Bluff.
On the 14th day of May, the Fourth supported a
battery, under a provoking fire, and at night relieved a
portion of the skirmish line on the right of the railroad.
In front, between them and the rebel lines, for a distance
of five hundred yards, was a thick growth of under
brush, affording fine cover for the enemy. The 15th
was passed in continual sharp-shooting, and at night a
light breastwork was thrown up. On the morning of
the 16th a dense fog covered the earth. The rapid roll
ing of a heavy fire of musketry was heard on the right.
242 THE GREAT REBELLION.
The enemy were reported to be advancing in front, and
the men put themselves in a position ef defense and
calmly awaited the foe. Suddenly a line of rebels
sprang out of the mist, as if by magic, within three
rods of the Union line ; but they as quickly disappeared,
for every rifle was emptied with deadly aim, and bayo
nets were fixed for close work. The enemy, rallied by
their officers, whose voices could be distinctly heard,
advanced, and again retreated, with ranks fearfully
shattered by another volley. The Union troops were
formed in one line, with intervals of three paces, and
had there been the least flinching the line would have
been lost. Besides this the cartridges were nearly ex
pended. The fire on the right grew heavier and nearer
every moment, and seemed to break to the rear. An
order from General Butler for the whole line to charge,
put the troops in good spirits; they vainly suppos
ing that affairs were prosperous, when, suddenly, the
troops on the right of the Fourth, retreated in disorder.
The brigade, however, advanced to charge, and were
quickly met by a counter charge, the enemy appearing in
overwhelming numbers in front and in rear of the right
flank, within a few yards, virtually making prisoners
of a portion of the regiment; but the men could not
understand it in that light, and after doing all that men
could do, they retreated under a perfect hail of bullets,
from the right, left and front. Many fired at the enemy
within a few feet and ran from under their bayonets.
Corporal Plumer, of Company E, shot a rebel color-
bearer ten paces off. A bullet pierced Capt. dough's
hat, and when he took it off a shell took the crown out.
The air seemed filled with missiles of death. Col.
White, commanding the brigade, was taken prisoner,
when Col. Bell rallied the men and held the enemy in
check until a line could be formed sufficient to cover
the retreat.
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 243
The Fourth lost one hundred and forty-two men in
this action, in killed, wounded and missing. Major
Sawyer received a bullet wound in the shoulder, of
which he died at home on the 23d of June. He was
a brave officer and a most worthy man, respected and
beloved by all who knew him. Lieut. Frank B. Hutch-
inson, of Company E, was last seen firing his revolver
within a few feet of the enemy. He knew no fear and
shirked no duty. Capt. Wallace, of Co. C, was again
severely wounded. The regiment marched back to Ber
muda Hundred with sadly diminished ranks. On the
21st a severe skirmish took place, in which Lieuts.
Brewster of Company B, and Stearns of Company C,
were badly wounded. Several enlisted men were also
more or less severely wounded, and twenty were
taken prisoners.
On the 28th of May the division left Bermuda Hun
dred on transports, with orders to report to Gen. W. F.
Smith, commanding the Eighteenth Corps, which was
ordered to report to Gen. Meade, commanding the
Army of the Potomac. They landed at White House,
on the Pamunkey river, and there marched to Cold
Harbor, on the 3d of June, where they arrived the
morning after the battle. Eight days of living and
fighting in the trenches followed, when on the 12th the
Eighteenth Corps was ordered back to White House, and
the next day went on boats down the Pamunkey and
York rivers and up the James to Bermuda Hundred.
On the 16th of June the Corps crossed the Appomat-
tox at Broadway Landing, and marched directly to the
defenses of Petersburg. The outworks were hand
somely taken by colored troops, and a heavy line of
earthworks developed, extending from the river over an
interval and along the bluff, two miles from the city.
The corps was formed in line, the colored troops on
the left, and the division temporarily commanded by
244 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Gen. Brooks next. It lay under fire until five o'clock
in the afternoon, then made a charge and captured the
works. Col. Bell's brigade took one hundred and
twenty-five prisoners and several pieces of artillery.
Gen. Smith rode up and complimented the men for
their gallantry. From the 16th of June, until the sur
render of Lee in April of the succeeding year, Gen.
Grant's shattered but unflinching army, stretching
along from the Appomattox to a point beyond the
"Weldon Railroad, fought many bloody battles and en
dured untold hardships.
The brigade returned to Bermuda Hundred on the
18th, but was ordered back to the lines before Peters
burg, arriving there on the 23d. For thirty-six days
Col. Bell's brigade remained in one position, on the left
of what was afterward named Fort Stedman, and join
ed the Ninth Corps. The advance picket trench was
within two rods of the enemy, the main line being a
short distance in the rear. An attempt to capture the
enemy's advance trench was made on the 30th of June.
Col. Bell opened a furious fire from the picket line,
while another brigade was to charge. There was a
blunder somewhere, and the result was a heavy loss and
nothing gained. The regiment lost fifty men in killed
and wounded, while performing ordinary trench duty.
This was one of the darkest times during the rebellion —
thousands of noble men lost, and not a complete vic
tory gained. Only once was there a cessation of fire.
One morning the "Yanks" and "Johnnies" simultane
ously dropped their rifles, and in a minute were together
swapping coffee for tobacco, and pleasantly chatting
together.
The regiment took part in the famous battle of the
" Mine," on the 30th of July. The previous night the
Division, under command of Gen. Turner, was quietly
withdrawn from the front and massed in rear of and
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 245
near the covered way leading to the Mine. About half-
past four o'clock in the morning the earth was shaken
by the explosion, and the artillery immediately opened.
It was a grand commencement, and seemed, as a man
remarked, " like forty-four Fourths of July rolled into
one." The crater of the blown up fort was quickly
taken by a part of the Mnth Corps, in which was the
Sixth, Kinth and Eleventh ISTew Hampshire. Col. Bell's
brigade advanced on the right and took a position under
a terrible enfilading fire from a battery just across a
ravine, on a knoll. Men were literally mowed down,
and lay dead as if in ranks. A sharp fire upon the rebel
gunners saved them from greater loss. A division of
colored troops was ordered up, but they had never been
under a heavy fire before, and acted very much like
other raw troops. The plan was to charge immediately,
but something was wrong, and the troops suffered for
the blunder. The air seemed filled with bursting shells,
the hiss of canister, and the shriek of raking grape.
The heat was intense, and many men fell from sun
stroke. The rebels made an advance in strong force,
the negroes became panic stricken, and instead of re
treating, mixed up in awful confusion. They formed a
breastwork for the rebels, for to fire was to hit them,
and to advance was impossible. It seemed an easy thing
to beat back the rebels if the negroes had been out of
the way. This delay gave the enemy the advantage,
and so the Fourth retreated to the intrenched line. Col.
Bell reformed his brigade, planted the colors on the
earthworks, and held the line until relieved, at four
o'clock in the afternoon, by Gen. Stevens' brigade. The
regiment lost fifty out of two hundred men, in killed
and wounded. Capt. Clough, commanding the regi
ment, was wounded when the retreat commenced, and
Capt. Parker took command. That night the regiment
took its old Dosition in the trench, and the next day
246 THE GREAT REBELLION.
marched to Bermuda Hundred, under a burning sun,
from which the tired soldiers suffered very much. Here
the regiment had twelve days of rest, except their turn
on picket.
Another movement was to be made north of the
James, simultaneously with one on the "Weldon Railroad.
The Tenth Corps crossed the river in the night of the
13th of August, and at break of day the leading brigade
took the enemy's outer line of works. The negroes
handsomely redeemed their reputation, which had suf
fered at the Mine, by making a successful charge. The
Fourth was engaged all day in skirmishing. The next
day a movement was made to get in rear of the enemy's
line at Malvern Hill, which was accomplished by Grant's
well known flanking operations. One brigade was
kept closely skirmishing with the enemy, while another
moved around to the right. A sorry accident closed
the incidents of the day. Tirn Reardon, a tall Milesian,
of Company G, mistaking the position of our forces,
rode into the enemy's lines with sixteen canteens of
whisky; "a drop of comfort" for the Johnnies, but a
sad mistake for poor Tim and his expectant comrades.
During the night, while guarding one of the main thor
oughfares leading to Richmond, Lieut. Stephen J. Went-
worth, of Company K, a brave young officer, fell while
leading his company forward as skirmishers, in a sharp
encounter with the enemy who made their appearance
in a thick wood.
On the morning of the 16th Gen. Terry's Division, in
a gallant charge, took a strong line of works in the rear
of Malvern Hill. The enemy advanced in strong force
and attempted to recapture the line. The division
slowly withdrew behind the breastworks, but with heavy
loss. The enemy closely followed, and charged fiercely
on the line of works, but were sent quickly back with
broken ranks. Several officers in command of the brig-
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 247
ade, were wounded, and Capt. Parker, of the Fourth,
succeeded to the command, and while the forward move
ment was being made, directed the change of position ;
but in his turn was disabled by a severe wound in the
neck, just as the enemy were repulsed. A second
charge was made by the rebels with more success. The
Fourth lost in the action forty-five men killed and
wounded. Capt. Hobbs, of Company A, took command
of the regiment, and the Tenth Corps shortly withdrew
to Bermuda Hundred. A captain was in command of
the brigade, and only one captain was left for duty in
the Fourth Regiment.
After a few days of rest the Second Division was
again moved to the front of Petersburg, and took posi
tion under the constant dropping of iron and lead from
the rebel lines. The time of enlistment of the original
men expired on the 18th of September, when Lieut.
Col. Drew, several other officers, and one hundred and
seventy-four enlisted men took their departure for New
Hampshire. Of the three hundred and eighty-eight
who re-enlisted in February, and over seven hundred
recruits, only a small number remained fit for duty,
and at the attack on Fort Gilmer, on the 29th of Sep
tember, only forty men could be mustered for the fight.
This was one of the most bloody battles in which the
regiment was ever engaged. Until near the middle of
December the Fourth was engaged in picket and trench
dut}- north of the James,
On the 12th of December, an expedition against Fort
Fisher having been planned, a fleet with a large num
ber of troops on board, left Hampton Roads, and landed
on the 24th. After a careful survey Gen. "Weitzel decid
ed that the fort was impregnable by direct assault, and
the expeditionary corps returned to their former position
north of the James, and went into winter quarters near
the picket line. A second expeditionary corps against
248 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Fort Fisher was organized, in which. Gen. Terry was
to command, and Gen. Ames was to do the hard fight
ing, composed of troops who had shown valor under
the most trying circumstances. Every man of the
Fourth Regiment, capable of doing duty, was brought
into the ranks, and the regiment was commanded by
Capt. John H. Roberts. On the 13th of January, 1865,
the fleet moved into line and opened fire. The troops
were landed through a heavy surf on a hard beach,
about five miles north of the fort. Gen. Paine's di
vision and Gen. Abbott's brigade were sent to prevent
an advance from the enemy above. Gen. Ames formed
his division across the narrow tongue of land which
separates Cape Fear river from the ocean, and moved
forward about two miles toward the fort, where he
threw up a hasty line of works and made a careful
reconnoissance. The bombardment, scarcely paralleled
in history, which paved Fort Fisher with iron, con
tinued without cessation till three o'clock on the after
noon of the 15th. This was one of the very strongest
of the rebel works, and it was to be determined whether
or not it could be taken ; and this little veteran division,
consisting of men from New Hampshire, N"ew Tork,
Pennsylvania and Indiana, led by Gen. Ames, had
this momentous question entrusted to their hands. It
was a duty to make the stoutest heart quail. A force
of marines at first charged the sea-face of the fort, and
were repulsed after a gallant fight. Just at the instant
when the rebel garrison were crowding to the sea-face,
exultant with their victory, and pouring their fire into
the retreating marines, Gen. Curtis' brigade dashed
forward upon the angle near Cape Fear river, closely
followed by Pennypaeker's and Bell's brigades. The
movement was successful. The gate and one mound
were gamed, though the road to the former lay over a
broken bridge, enfiladed and crossed by a murderous
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 249
fire. Gallantly leading his brigade, Col. Bell had almost
gained the bridge, when a shot struck him, and he fell
mortally wounded. A moment later and the tattered
colors of his regiment were planted on the first mound
of the fort. Thus fell the Colonel of the Fourth New
Hampshire, dearly beloved and deeply mourned by his
brigade. Dignified, yet genial; brave, yet cautious;
never sacrificing lives uselessly; ever ready to share
danger and hardship with his men; no influence or
peril could deter him from doing his duty, or shake
a resolution once formed.
The gate and captured mound formed the base of
operations against the rest of the fort, though to any
but iron nerved men it would have proved but a slen
der foothold ; for the rebels still had the advantage of
superior numbers — twelve mounds to one, and Fort
Buchanan below, to rake the inside of the work.
Admiral Porter kept up a continued and harassing
fire. The division fought with the greatest desperation.
The fire of the enemy was well directed and incessant.
The contest continued till after ten o'clock in the
evening, and nine of the traverses were taken. The
men were almost exhausted and the ranks were fear
fully decimated. The enemy's fire had almost ceased
when Gen. Abbott's brigade entered the fort, and the
remainder of the rebels soon after surrendered. The
fierce and prolonged struggle was over, and victory was
proclaimed by a blaze of rockets from the fleet and the
triumphant cheers of the men on shore. Instances of
individual gallantry in the Fourth Regiment were
numerous, and many of them will never be known to
the world. Capt. Roberts, who had been in every
battle, siege and march of the regiment, was very
active and efficient throughout the fight. Adjutant
Challis was disabled in the first of the fight by a piece
of shell, but recovered in time to assist in taking the
250 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
fifth traverse, in which were rallied the colors of seven
different regiments within the space of a few feet.
There was a terrible conflict to gain ftie seventh, and
quite a number of attempts had failed, when Adjutant
Challis collected thirty-five men from the several regi
ments of the division, and charged directly upon the
rebel garrison. The fight was short, desperate and
successful. Color Sergeant Plumer, who had planted
the flag on the first mound, now, in advance of all,
placed the broken standard on the eighth mound, so
near the rebel flag that the stars and stripes actually
flapped against the southern cross. About this time
he fell badly wounded. Capt. Huckins, of Company K,
was specially complimented for his coolness and efficien
cy while acting upon the staff of Gen. Ames, who was
the leader and guide of every movement of the contest.
That night, as all that were left of the Fourth Xew
Hampshire were sleeping over a magazine, it suddenly
exploded, thus adding to the already long list of
casualties.
The regiment remained at Fort Fisher until the llth
of February, when the advance on Wilmington was
commenced. Capt. Parker, who had been wounded
at Deep Bottom, had been commissioned Lieutenant
Colonel, and having recovered from his wound, returned
to the regiment and assumed command. The rebel
forces under Gen. Hoke were stationed at Sugar Loaf
Battery, about two miles from the Union picket line.
A night expedition, planned to get into their rear,
failed. Ames' division was ordered to Smithfield, on
the opposite side of Cape Fear river, where they joined
Gen. Cox's division of the Twenty-third Corps, and by
a rapid movement on the night of the 18th, invested
Fort Anderson, just in time to find it evacuated, and
the garrison of three thousand men gone. They were
pursued and fled beyond Wilmington, leaving the city
FO UR TH REGIMENT. 251
in the possession of the Union army. Here the regiment
had a period of needed rest. On the 10th of March
the Tenth Corps marched to join Gen. Sherman on
information that he had arrived at Fayetteville. Sher
man's whole army passed the Corps at Cox's Bridge,
fresh from their battle and victory at Averysboro.
After a short rest the Tenth Corps was detailed to open
and guard the railroad from Wilmington .to Golds-
borough. The Fourth was stationed along the road
between Wilmington and Little Washington. Supplies
having been forwarded to the main army, the whole
force once more pushed on to finish the enemy. Lieut.
Col. Parker and Adjutant Challis were captured when
a short distance outside the picket line, by a squad of
Wheeler's cavalry; thus being afforded the pleasure
of seeing the rebel army collapse, when the news was
received of Lee's surrender.
Through the exertions of Gov. Frederick Smyth, the
Fourth was mustered out, and arrived home on the
27th of August. The city of Manchester gave them a
grand reception. Gov. Smith welcomed the regiment
in an eloquent speech.
One hundred and forty veterans returned with the
regiment. Fifty were mustered out in hospitals.
During the four years 1394 men were members of
the Fourth. Of these 282 were killed in action or died
of disease ; 340 were discharged for disability occasion
ed by wounds or disease, and 57 died in rebel prisons.
Thus after four years of arduous and honorable service,
the Fourth Regiment ceased to exist as an organization,
and its members returned to their peaceful avocations.
252 THE GREAT REBELLION
FIFTH REGIMENT.
The Fifth Regiment was raised under the same call
and paid the same bounty as the Third and Fourth. It
rendezvoused and was mustered into the United States
service at Concord, its muster being completed on the
26th of October, 1861, and reported ready for active ser
vice. The whole organization numbered ten hundred
and ten, including a good band and a corps of buglers,
attached to each company, and it left the State for the
seat of war, on the 29th of October. The colors were
presented by Gov. Berry, and received by Col. Cross
with appropriate and earnest speeches. Previous to the
day of departure the men were given three days fur
lough, in which to visit their homes and friends, and to
many of them it was, alas, their last visit. The following
were the field, staff and company officers of the regi
ment, and their record, during its term of service :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Edward E. Cross, of Lancaster.
Killed at Gettysburg, July 2, 1863.
Charles E..Hapgood, of Amherst.
Wounded July 16, 1864. Honorably discharged Oct. 14, 1864.
Richard E. Cross, of Lancaster.
Revoked April 29, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Samuel G. Langley, of Manchester.
Resigned Dec. 1, 18G2.
Charles E. Hapgood, of Amherst.
Promoted to Colonel July 3, 1863.
Richard E. Cross, of Lancaster.
Cashiered Aug. 4, 1864. Disability resulting from dismissal removed, Jan.
16, 1865. Appointed Colonel Feb. 21, 1865.
James E. Larkin, of Concord.
Mustered out Oct. 12, 1864
FIFTH REGIMENT. 253
Welcome A. Crafts, of Milan.
Appointed Colonel U. S. V. by brevet, for gallant and meritorious conduct
during the war, to date from March 13, 1865. Mustered out as Lieut. Colonel
June 28, 1865.
Majors — William W. Cook, of Derry.
Resigned July 17, 1862.
Edward E. Sturtevant, of Concord.
Killed at Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862.
James E. Larkin, of Concord.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Sept. 6, 186*1.
"Welcome A. Crafts, of Milan.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Oct. 28, 1864.
Thomas L. Livermore, of Milford.
Promoted to Colonel 18th N. H. Regt. Jan. 17, 1865.
Adjutants — Charles Dodd, of Boston, Mass.
Resigned June 13, 1863.
Elias H. Marston, of North Hampton.
Mustered out October 22, 1864.
James W. Flood.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Quartermasters — Edward M. Webber, of Somersworth.
Mustered out Oct. 25, 1864.
Owen T. Cummings, of Enfield.
Declined March 15, 1864.
Surgeons — Luther M. Knight, of Franklin.
Resigned May 28, 1863.
John W. Buckman, of Lancaster.
Mustered out Oct. 26, 1864.
William Child, of Bath.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Ass't Surgeons — John W. Buckman, of Lancaster.
Promoted to Surgeon June 1, 1863.
William Child, of Bath.
Promoted to Surgeon Oct. 28, 1864.
Charles M. Trask, of Stewartstown.
Mustered out Dec. 27, 1864.
D. A. Robinson, of Milan.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Chaplains — Elijah R. Wilkins, of Lisbon.
Resigned June 18, 1862.
Milo M. Ransom, of Lisbon.
Resigned Jan. 27, 1863.
Silas F. Dean, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
254 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Sergeant Majors — Daniel K. Cross, of Hanover.
Promoted to Seconji Lieut. Feb. 23, 1862.
George A. Gay, of Newmarket.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Sept. 11, 1862
Charles F. Liscomb, of Lebanon.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Oct. 1, 1862.
Lee C. Sears, of ISTew York City.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Dec. 14, 1862.
Charles A. Hale.
Promoted to Second Lieut. March 1, 1863.
Elias H. Marston, of North Hampton.
Promoted to Adjutant July 1, 1863.
Mason W. Humphrey, of Water bnry, Vt.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Oct. 2, 1863.
Benjamin S. Wilson, of Hillsborough.
Promoted to Second Lieut. 1st. U. S. Vols., Oct. 28, 1863.
Edward Lussoy.
Died of wounds.
Eufus K Pearl.
Mustered out June 28, 1865
Quartermaster Sergeants — John A. Duren, of Keene.
irromoted to Second Lieut. April 21, 1863.
Owen T. Cummings, of Enfield.
Mustered out Oct. 29, 1864.
Albert Gill.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — I. W. Hammond, of Concord.
Mustered out Oct. 28, 1864.
Levi Johnson, of Claremont.
Discharged by order of War Department, May 30, 1865.
Jonas Adams.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — Charles M. Trask, of Stewartstown.
Promoted to Assistant Surgeon June 1, 1863.
Edwin A. Knight,
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Daniel Johnson.
Not officially accounted for.
Ephraim McDaniel.
Discharged for disability Oct. 31, 1862.
Addison W. Heath.
Mustered out Oct. 29, 1864.
Enoch Clement.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
FIFTH REGIMENT. 255
Alfred A. Libby.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Leader of Band — Addison Adams, of Concord.
Mustered out Aug. 8, 1862.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — Edward E. Sturtevant, of Concord.
Promoted to Major July 30, 1862.
James E. Larkin, of Concord.
Promoted to Major July 3, 1863.
O'Neill R. Twitchell, of Dummer.
Mustered out -June 28, 1865.
First Lieuts. — James E. Larkin, of 'Concord.
Promoted to Captain July 31, 1862.
John W. Bean, of Dan bury.
Prumoted to Captain Dec. 16, 1862.
Charles E. Liscomb, of Lebanon.
Died Jan. 5, 1864.
John W. Crosby, of Milford.
Honorably discharged July 24, 1864.
Warren Ryder.
Killed April 7, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Stephen E. Twombly, of Milton.
Resigned May 10, 1862.
Albert G. Cummings, of Enfield.
Promoted to First Lieut Nov. 10, 1862.
"William 0. Lyford, of Laoonia.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 2, 1863.
Ruel G. Austin, of Claremont.
Died July 27, 1863.
George L. Hersom, of Milton.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 2, 1864.
Co. B. — Captains — Edmund Brown, of Lancaster.
Discharged Feb. 2, 1862.
Thomas J. Rice, of Boston, Mass.
Resigned Sept. 10, 1862.
Welcome A. Crafts, of Milan.
Promoted to Major, Sept. 6, 1864.
Henry S. Hilliard, of Stewartstown.
Captured April 7, 1865. Re-captured April 10, 1865. Mustered out June
28, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Welcome A. Crafts, of Milan.
Promoted to Captain Sept 11, 1862.
256 THE GREAT REBELLION.
John S. Kicker, of Milton.
Promoted to Captain, Dec. 18, 1862.
Augustus D. Sanborn, of Franklin.
Promoted to Captain, Feb. 1, 1864.
George R. Shapleigb, of Rollinsford.
Killed in action June 16, 1864.
Cbarles Jenkins.
Discharged for disability, Feb. 18, 1865.
Jobn G. Simonds.
Discharged for disability, May, 15, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — R. R. Somes, of Laconia.
Promoted to First. Lieut. Feb. 16, 1862.
James "W. Parks, of New York City.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 8, 1862.
O'Neill R. Twitchell, of Dummer.
Promoned to First Lieut. Dec. 18, 1862.
Robert S. Dame, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 3, 1863.
John A. Duren of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 1, 1863.
Henry S. Hilliard, of Stewartstown.
Dismissed Oct. 10, 1864. Disability resulting from dismissal removed Dec.
13, 1864.
Elijah F. Harden.
Mustered out, June 28, 1865.
Co. C. — Captains — James B. Perry, of Lebanon.
Killed at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862.
John S. Bicker of Milton.
Promoted to Major, March 15, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Nathan H. Randlett, of Lebanon.
Promoted to Captain, Sept. 8, 1862.
James W. Parks, of New York City.
Resigned Jan.' 13, 1863.
Everett S. Fitch, of Lebanon.
Wounded June 3, 1863. Promoted to Captain, July 1, 1864.
George S. Gove, of Raymond.
Mustered out Oct. 12, 1864.
Ira T. Bronson.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Wm. A. Moore, of Littleton.
Promoted to First Lieut., Feb. 1, 1862.
John W. Lawrence, of Claremont.
Resigned Oct. 23, 1862.
FIFTH REGIMENT. 257
Everett S. Fitch, of Lebanon.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 1, 1863.
Mason "W". Humphrey, of Waterbury, Yt.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 1, 1864.
John W. Spaulding, of Claremont.
Wounded June 3, 1864. Honorably discharged Nov. 5, 1864.
George Yazier.
Revoked June 2, 1863.
Co. D. — Captains — John Murray, of Newcastle.
Killed at Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1862.
Samuel S. Quinn, of Keene.
Resigned Feb. 17, 1863.
George F. Goodwin, of Lebanon, Me.
Killed at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864.
Everett S. Fitch, of Lebanon.
Mustered out Oct. 12, 1864.
First Lieuts.— Geo. W. Balloch, of Great Falls.
Promoted to Captain and C. S. Vols., July 21, 1862. Breveted Colonel
July 22, 1865, to date from March 13, 1865.
Daniel K. Cross, of Hanover.
Transferred to Co. G.
Samuel S. Quinn, of Keene.
Promoted to Captain, Dec. 17, 1862.
Nathaniel F. Low, of Randolph.
Mustered out Oct. 30, 1864.
Thomas Waburton.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Samuel F. Varney, of Rochester.
Resigned April 13, 1862.
John S. Ricker, of Milton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 11, 1862.
George A. Gay, of Newmarket.
Killed at Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862.
Charles F. Liscomb, of Lebanon.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 19, 1862.
Nathaniel F. Low, of Randolph.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 1, 1863.
George R. Shapleigh, of Rollinsford.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 1, 1864.
"William Whittaker, of Stoddard.
Discharged Nov. 10, 1864.
Co. E. — Captains — Ira McL. Barton, of Newport.
Resigned Sept. 6, 1862.
258 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Nathan II. Eandlett, of Lebanon.
Honorably discharged March 2, 1863.
Thomas L. Livermore, of ftilford.
Promoted to Major Oct. 28, 1864
John R. McCrillis.
Discharged for disability May 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Thomas J. Rice, of Boston, Mass.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 16, 1862.
William A. Moore, of Littleton.
Transferred to Co. F May 11, 1862.
Dexter G. Reed, of Newport.
Resigned Nov. 6, 1862.
Sumner F. Hurd. of Newport
Resigned May 2, 1863.
Charles A. Hale, of Lebanon.
Honorably discharged Aug. 11, 1864.
Charles E. Ellerback.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Dexter GT. Reed, of Newport.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 11, 1862.
Sumner F. Ilurd, of Newport.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 10, 1862.
George Nettleton, of Clareniont.
Killed at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862.
William McGee, of Philadelphia, Pa.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 16, 1863.
Sampson W. Townsend, of Wakefield.
Wounded July 3, 1864. Honorably discharged Sept. 6, 1864.
Co. F. — Captains — Horace T. II. Pierce, of Keene.
Resigned Jan. 29, 1863.
Albert G. Cummings, of Enlield.
Mustered out Oct. 6, 1864.
Charles A. Hale, of Lebanon.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
First Lieuts.— Moses W. Rand, of Gorham.
Resigned April 26, 1862.
William A. Moore, of Littleton.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 10, 18G2.
Albert G. Cummings, of Entield.
Promoted to Captain March 1, 1863.
Joseph B. Fay, of Amherst,
Mustered out Oct. 28, 1864.
George F. Guppy, of Rochester. ,
Promoted to Captain May 1, 1865.
FIFTH REGIMENT. 259
Second Lieuts. — Samuel S. Quinn, of Keene.
Promote,! to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1862.
George F. Goodwin, of Lebanon, Me.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 1 7, 1862.
Lee C. Sears.
Died Jan. 11, 1863.
Joseph B. Fay, of Amherst.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 3, 1868.
George Vose, of Amherst.
Mustered out Oct. 29, 1864.
Oo. G. — Captains — Charles H. Long, of Claremont.
Resigned Nov. 6, 1862.
Jacob "W. Keller, of Claremont.
Honorably discharged Jan. 26, 1864
Augustus D. Sanboru, of Franklin.
Mustered out Oct. 30, 1864
"William Collins.
Wounded severely April 7, 1865. Died of wounds April 29, 1865
First Lieuts. — Jacob W. Keller, of Claremont.
Promoted to Captain July 26, 1862.
Samuel S. Quinn, of Keene.
Promote 1 to Captain Dec. 17, 1862.
Daniel K. Cross, of Hanover.
Honorably discharged Nov. 15, 1863.
Mason W. Humphrey, of AVaterbury Yt.
Killed "at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864.
Rodney H. Ramsey, of Charlestown.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Charles O. Ballou, of Claremont.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 18, 1862.
Daniel K. Cross, of Hanover.
Promoted to First Lieut, Aug. 1, 1862.
Samuel B. Little, of Claremont.
Wounded at Fredericksburg Dec. 13, 1 802. Died of wounds Dec. 24, 1862.
John W. Crosby, of Milford.
Promoted to First Lient. Jan. 6, 1864.
Daniel Libby, of Tuftonborough.
Mustered out Oct. 30, 1864.
Issachar W. Smith.
Discharged by order of War Department, May 29, 1865.
Co. H. — Captains — Richard R. Davis, of AVolfeborou°'h.
Resigned July 25, 1862.
William A. Moore, of Littleton.
Killed at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862.
260
THE GREAT REBELLION.
Jauvrin W. Graves, of Tuftonborough.
Honorably discharged Dec. 9, 1864.
Jonathan C. S. Twitchell.
Mustered out June 28, 1866.
First Lieuts.— Richard E. Cross, of Lancaster.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 17, 1862.
Jauvrin W. Graves, of Tufionboroujjh.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 14, 1862.
William 0. Lyford, of Laconia.
Honorably discharged Nov. 6, 1863.
William McGee, of Philade'lpliia, Pa.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Theron A. Farr.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Second Lieuts.—J. W. Graves, of Tuftonborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 17, 1862!
Henry B. Randall, of Wolfeborough.
Resigned Sept. 6, 1862.
Charles W. Bean, of ^orthwood.
Died of wounds Oct. 10, 1862.
Augustus D. Sanborn, of Franklin.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 20, 1862.
Charles A. Hale, of Lebanon.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 2, 1863.
Wendell R. Cook, of Clarernont.
Mustered out Oct. 15, 1864.
Benjamin Howe.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
Co. I. — Captains — Charles E. Hapgood, of Amherst.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Dec. 14, 1862.
John W. Bean, of Danbury.
Wounded June 3, 1864. Honorably discharged Sept 20, 1864.
Augustus J. Hoitt, of Northwood.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
First Lieuts. -—Elijah W. Johnson, of Canaan.
Resigned Jan. 24, 1862.
Rinaldo R. Somes, of Laconia,
Resigned June 10, 1862.
Francis W. Butler, of Bennington.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 15, 1862.
O'Neill R. Twitchell, of Dummer.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 1, 1863.
FIFTH REGIMENT. 261
John A. Duren, of Keene.
Taken prisoner at Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864. Released. Mustered out
March 16, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John W. Bean, of Danbury.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 31, 1862.
George W. George, of Amherst.
Honorably discharged March 7, 1863.
George C. Flanders, of Danbury.
Discharged July 20, 1863.
Arthur H. Perkins, of Danbury.
Mustered out Nov. 6, 1864
Isaac L. Gardiner,
Promoted to First Lieut. May 5, 1865
Co. X. — Captains — Richard Welch, of Plaistow.
Discharged by War Department Feb. 15, 1862
Richard E. Cross, of Lancaster.
Promoted to Major Dec. 14, 1862
Francis W. Butler, of Bennington.
Died of wounds, July 30, 1864.
Asel B. Griggs.
Honorably discharged June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — James B. David, of Amherst.
Discharged by War Department Feb. 15, 1862.
Charles 0. Ballon, of Claremont.
Killed at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862.
Thomas L. Livermore, of Milford.
Promoted to Captain March 3, 1863.
Robert S. Dame, of Concord.
Mustered out Oct. 6, 1864.
James E. Follansbee.
Wounded April 7, 1865. Not officially accounted for.
Second Lieuts. — F. W. Butler, of Bennington.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 10, 1862.
Thomas L. Livermore, of Milford.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 14, 1862.
Thomas H. "Walker, of Durham.
Resigned June 11, 1863.
George S. Gove, of Raymond.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 1, 1864.
Robert H. Chase, of Claremont.
Killed at Ream's Station, Oct 6, 1864.
"Warren H. Fletcher, of Claremont.
Mustered out June 28, 1865.
262 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
COLONEL EDWARD E. CROSg.
Colonel Cross was born at Lancaster on the 22d of
April, 1832. His father, Hon. Ephraim Cross, was once
a State Senator, and his mother was a daughter of Hon.
Richard C. Everett, of Lancaster, who had been an
Associate Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.
With such education as he could acquire at the public
schools and an academy, at the age of fifteen years Col.
Cross entered the printing office of the Coos County
Democrat, published by Hon. James M. Rix, where he
remained two years, when he went to Canada, to assist
his father in steamboat-building, and visited the cities
and other places of interest in British America. When
twenty years old he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and was
for a time employed as a reporter in the Atlas office,
and was afterward local editor of the Cincinnati Daily
Times. He was for two sessions of Congress special
correspondent of that paper at Washington, during
which time he also wrote spicy letters for the New
York Herald and other influential journals, in all of
which he displayed considerable ability as a political
and general writer. "While at Washington he was
appointed Adjutant of an Ohio regiment of infantry
raised for service in Utah, but for some reason the
regiment was not mustered into service. In 1857 Col.
Cross traveled extensively in the United States and
Canada, and contributed a series of interesting letters
to the newspaper press.
Afterward he journeyed to the "Plains" of the far
West, to the wild Indian region of northern Minnesota,
and the country of the Yellow Medicine River and the
Upper Missouri. While visiting the latter places he
was associated with a party of trappers and buffalo hun
ters, during which they had several encounters with the
*
£nS % GE Perme N.Yorls-
C Q L E D WAR D E . C R O
5th NH.V
FIFTH REGIMENT. 263
Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. During these travels Col.
.Cross wrote letters for different newspapers and pre
pared several illustrated articles upon travel for popular
magazines. He also wrote many sketches and gems of
poetry over the signature of " Richard Everett," which
were quite generally admired. In 1858, with a small
party, he started for Arazona, with a view to establish
ing a mining company in that then newly organized ter
ritory. They took with them the first steam engine and
printing press transported across the Rocky Mountains.
Their journey was seventeen hundred miles in length,
extending through northern Texas via El Paso del
R"orte and La Mesilla, and requiring six months for its
accomplishment. A great portion of the way lay through
the wild and romantic regions of the Camanche and
Apache Indians. These tribes were then very hostile
to the whites, and the little company of pioneers were
in constant danger of attack. At one time Col. Cross,
with five of his companions followed a warlike band of
Apaches for fourteen days, two of whom were killed
and several wounded. In these skirmishes he won the
reputation of an intrepid Indian scouter and fighter.
On one occasion the party were three days without
food and thirty hours without water. Finally, rendered
almost insane by hunger, they came out on New Year's
day at the overland mail station at Apache Pass in
Arizona. The expedition was not successful on account
of the limited number of whites in the territory and the
frequent inroads of hostile tribes of Indians. A paper
was established called the "Arizonian," while editing
which Col. Cross had difficulty with a Lieut. Mowry,
and by Lira was challenged. This was the general mode
of settling personal difficulties in that country, and Col.
Cross did not feel that he could decline the challenge
and retain the respect and confidence of the people
among whom he was settled. They fought with rifles
264 THE GREAT REBELLION.
at thirty paces. At the first fire Mowry's ball grazed
Col. Cross' right cheek, while the ball of the latter
passed through the Lieutenant's coat. *At the second
round Mowry's rifle missed fire, and he claimed the priv
ilege of shooting at his opponent unarmed. The affair
now assumed a most serious character, but Col. Cross,
nothing daunted, threw down his weapon and coolly
folding his arms stood up to receive the fire of his oppo
nent. Mowry, astonished and impressed at the noble
conduct of his adversary, dropped his rifle and exclaimed,
" I can't fire at such a man as that." Thus the unfor
tunate difficulty happily terminated. This event secured
for Col. Cross the reputation of a man of the highest
nerve and bravery.
The state of society at Arazona was at that time
devoid of law and order. Lynch courts were of fre
quent occurrance, and Col. Cross was often called to
preside over them. He twice crossed the " Plains "
and visited the Atlantic States, and took out- another
mining company from St. Louis, Missouri. The
national troops were withdrawn from the territory of
Arazona and the Indians became very troublesome.
Several expeditions were sent out against them, which
Col. Cross invariably commanded. While he was ab
sent on a march against the Apaches, a portion of the
tribe attacked the mining company from St. Louis and
murdered nearly every member of the party. During
his residence in Arazona, Col. Cross took great pains
to examine the country, and collect full and valuable
notes of the mineral and vegetable resources of the
territory. His notes upon the character and habits of
the roving tribes of the " far West " were very exten
sive, faithfully and carefully prepared, and included
five vocabularies of Indian tongues. Soon after the
destruction of the St. Louis mining company, Col.
Cross left Arazona and crossed over the border into
FIFTH REGIMENT. 265
Mexico, and was appointed by the military authorities
of that country a " Chef de Battalion " in the ranks
of the Liberal Party. When Fort Sumter was fired
upon he was stationed at El Fuerte in command of a
large garrison. He at once resigned his position and
made his way home, arriving in 2s"ew York on the 18th
of August, 1861. Arriving at Concord he offered his
services to Governor Berry, and was commissioned
Colonel of the Fifth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry
on the 27th of September, and left the State with his
regiment, which had been enlisted, organized and made
ready for the field under his own most active personal
supervision, on the 29th of October. £To regiment went
to the seat of war from iSTew Hampshire during the
four years' struggle that promised greater usefulness
to the Union cause than did what was soon designated
and known throughout the army as the " Fighting
Fifth," and none more nobly and fully realized all that
was expected of it, and none from this or any other
State has a prouder record to give to history. Its deeds
of valor will be known and remembered as long as the
great rebellion itself is remembered. In a communica
tion to Senator Hale, of ^"ew Hampshire, Gen. Hancock
remarked : " The conduct of this regiment has been
heroic : in the most important battles it has been highly
distinguished. To Col. Cross much of this honor is
due ; he has faithfully disciplined his Regiment, given
it the highest tone, and always led it in battle. One
of the most distinguished Generals in the army re
marked that "the Fifth Regiment never changed its
position under fire, except towards the enemy." On
the morning of the battle of Autietam, after the regi
ment had crossed the Creek, they were halted and Col.
Cross addressing them said : " Soldiers, the rebel army
is in front; the Potomac is in their rear. We must
whip the enemy this day or we shall all be disgraced and
266 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ruined. I expect every officer and soldier to do his duty
like a man. ~No one must leave the ranks unless badly
wounded. If I fall leave me on the field until the
fight is over. Stand firm and fire low." The regiment
went immediately into the battle and fought with bra
very seldom excelled. Col. Cross was struck by two
pieces of shell; one over the right eye, and one on
the left cheek, and his hat was knocked off, but with
his wounds bleeding and a red silk handkerchief around
his head he pushed forward, and the most desperate
fighting ensued. On this occasion the Fifth Regiment
saved Richardson's division from being outflanked.
In a private letter written on the battle field, Col. Cross
said : " My brave boys, knowing that all depended upon
promptly checking the rebels, raised the wild Indian
yell and poured an awful volley into their ranks. Their
center regiment was literally smashed to pieces, and
before they could rally their forces, several regiments
hastened to my assistance. Then came the most terrific
fighting. I had been in seven battles before, but they
were nothing in comparison with Antietam. We shot
down the rebel color-bearers as fast as they could get
up, killed their officers, broke their ranks and piled
them in heaps among the tall corn. I never felt better
in my life, and if the rebels didn't hear the Apache
•war whoop that day it was not my fault, for I yelled it
until I was hoarse. My men fought nobly, gloriously ;
never wavered, never shrank. Not a man but the
wounded and dead fell out. My officers also conducted
themselves like heroes. As for myself I was hit five
times but not seriously injured."
At the disastrous battle of Fredericksburg, on the
13th of December, 1862, the Fifth Regiment was again
in the thickest of the fight, and lost in killed and
wounded many of its best officers and bravest men.
Col. Cross was again wounded by a piece of shell which
•FIFTH REGIMENT. 267
struck near the heart and he fell insensible. He was
brought to his senses by another fragment of a shell
which struck him on the left leg, below the knee. He
attempted to crawl along, but a shell struck the steel
scabbard of his saber, split it open and knocked him
flat. In a letter describing the situation, Col. Cross
afterward wrote : " Dizzy and faint, I had sense enough
to lay myself out decently, ' feet to the foe.' Two lines
passed over me, but soon they swayed back, trampling
on the dead and dying. Halting about thirty yards in
the rear, one line laid down and commenced firing.
Imagine the situation. Right between two fires of bul
lets and shells — for our own artillery fire from over the
river was mostly too short, and did great damage to our
own troops — I lay on the field four hours — the most
awful moments of my life. As the balls from our lines
hissed over me within a foot from my head, I covered
my face with both hands, and counted rapidly from one
to one hundred, expecting every moment my brains
would spatter the ground. But they didn't. My guardi
an angels — if there be such personages — or my destiny
saved me. The end of my days was reserved for
another, and I hope a more fortunate occasion. For if
I am to die on the battle-field, I pray that it may be
with the cheers of victory in my ears. When it became
dark, some of my men found me and I was carried to
the hospital."
The Fifth Regiment was in the battle of Gettysburg,
on the 2d and 3d of July, 1863, and it was there that
Col. Cross was mortally wounded. He was in command
of a brigade, as he had been in several other hardly
contested battles. At about six o'clock in the afternoon
of the 2d, while rallying his brigade in the most gallant
manner, in the streets of the town, a minnie ball entered
the abdomen and came out near the spine, and after
much suffering, during which he was fully conscious, at
268 TEE GREAT REBELLION.
twelve o'clock he died. His last words were; "I did
hope I would live to see peace and our Country restored.
Thank Heaven, I have done my duty. I think the hoys
will miss me. Oh ! welcome death ! Say farewell to
all." His remains were carried to his native town,
Lancaster, where they were buried, the ceremonies
being conducted by North Star Lodge of Free Masons.
His funeral wTas attended by a very large concourse of
citizens, most of whom had known the deceased from
boyhood.
COLONEL CHARLES E. HAPGOOD.
Colonel Hapgood was born in Shrewsbury, Worcester
- County, Massachusetts, December 11, 1830. He is a son
of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Eager ) Hapgood. His father
was for thirty-five years a celebrated gun manufacturer,
at Shrewsbury, and had sales rooms in Boston. Col.
Hapgood was educated at the high school in his native
town, and learned the trade of gun maker, with his
father. In 1851 he went to Worcester, Mass., and was
for seven years employed in one of the largest produce
commission houses in that city. In 1854 he married
Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Charles E. Miles, of
Worcester. In 1858, he removed to Amherst, Hills-
borough County, New Hampshire, and in company with
II. E. Abbott, of Worcester, bought out the store of
C. B. Tuttle, and entered into business there under the
firm of Hapgood & Abbott, wrhich he continued until
September, 1861, when he disposed of his interest in
the firm to his partner, with a view of entering the
army. He once enlisted as a private, but for some rea
son was not mustered. On the 19th of October, 1861,
he was commissioned Captain of Company I, in the
Fifth Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers, and was
continually with his regiment, sharing its hard marches,
FIFTH REGIMENT. 269
bloody battles and fatigue duty until July 9, 1862, at
which time, having contracted a fever, in the campaign
before Richmond, he was given leave of absence on
surgeon's certificate. Subsequently, and before the
expiration of his leave, Capt. Hapgpod was ordered on
recruiting service in New Hampshire, and was stationed
at Concord and other places. On the 14th of December,
1862, immediately after the battle of Fredericksburg, in
which the Fifth Regiment suffered so severely in the
loss of officers and men, Captain Hapgood was promoted
to Lieutenant Colonel, and at his own urgent request
was ordered to join his regiment, which he did on the
3d of February, 1863. He commanded the regiment in
the campaign to Chancellorsville and in the great fight
at Gettysburg, on the 2d and 3d of July, 1863. On the
3d of July 1863, he was promoted to Colonel of his
regiment, in place of Colonel Cross, killed in battle.
He was continuously with his regiment until June 16,
1864, when he was severely wounded at the battle of
Petersburg. After he had partially recovered from his
wound, Col. Hapgood was ordered to Philadelphia,
August 18, 1864, by the War Department, as President
of the Board of Inspection of Military Hospitals in the
State of Pennsylvania. He remained on this duty until
October 17, 1864, when he was mustered out by order
of the War Department, by reason of expiration of his
term of service.
Col. Hapgood returned to New Hampshire after being
mustered out of service, in a feeble state of health, from
his wound and the fatiguing duty of his three years'
service with one of the most active regiments in the
army. He was offered and urged to accept the command
of other regiments, and also honorable and responsible
positions on the staff* of different Major Generals, all of
which, from his enfeebled state of health, and for other
reasons, he felt it his duty to decline. Soon after his
270 THE GREAT REBELLION.
return home he removed to Boston and entered as a
partner into a substantial mercantile firm, and is now
doing an extensive and successful business as a wool
commission merchant in that city, under the firm name
of Charles E. Hapgood & Co.
Feeling that his country needed him in her time of
peril, when the constitution and laws were set at defiance,
and the Union itself was threatened with destruction by
misguided men at the South, Col. Hapgood entered the
military service with the most unselfish and patriotic
motives and sentiments, and performed every duty from
first to last faithfully and religiously. As a Christian
gentleman he enjoyed the unbounded respect and confi
dence of the men under and officers over him. As an
officer he was brave, discreet, mindful of the comfort of
the men in the field, and watchful and tender of sick
and wounded in hospital, and set an example to all of
sobriety and probity worthy of imitation.
MAJOR EDWARD E. STURTEVANT.
The following biographical notice of Major Sturte-
vant is taken from the Adjutant General's Eeport of
1865, and is eminently deserved, just and true: In the
Spring of 1861, when the nation called for the services
of her sons, Major Edward E. Sturtevant was the first
man from New Hampshire to enlist in our second war
for independence ; and was also the first man in this
State to receive authority to recruit under the President's
call for seventy-five thousand three months' men. His
biographical record is brief, but honorable in the highest
degree. He was born in Keene, August 7, 1826. His
parents, George W. and Fanny "W. Sturtevant are now
living. The deceased was bred to the occupation of a
printer in his native town ; but removed to Concord
soon after completing his apprenticeship, and found
FIFTH REGIMENT. 271
employment in the office of the New Hampshire Courier,
then in charge of John C. Wilson, Esq., in whom he
found a generous and faithful friend. He was subse
quently employed in the office of the Statesman, and at
a later period upon the columns of the Washington
Union, and the Richmond Dispatch, everywhere estab
lishing a good name as a practical printer.
He was naturally, however, of too active and venture
some a spirit to be content with any sedentary employ
ment, and in 1855 he accepted an appointment as one
of the police force for the city of Concord, in which
capacity he won an enviable reputation for shrewdness,
fidelity and pluck. He held this position until the
inauguration of civil war. Dropping without a mo
ment's hesitation the pursuits of civil life, he was imme
diately appointed a recruiting officer, and in a few days,
by his own personal influence and example, he enlisted
two hundred and twenty-six men and received a com
mission as Captain in the First Regiment of New Hamp
shire Volunteer Infantry.
Major Sturtevant was influenced in taking up arms,
mainly by a correct and thorough appreciation of the
great principles which were at issue. He had, however,
a natural fondness and aptitude for military life. In
former years he marched at the head of the militia of
the State capital, where he was often especially com
mended for the drill and discipline of his command.
But Major Sturtevant was no holiday soldier. He had
little fondness for parade and show. His spirit chafed
at the inactivity which characterized the bloodless cam
paign of the First New Hampshire, and immediately on
the expiration of his first term of service, he was ready
again to take the field. He felt that he had enlisted for
the war. In all his letters to his friends, he manifested
no weariness nor impatience in the service to which he.
had devoted his energies — no thought of turning hi?
272 THE GREAT REBELLION.
back to the enemy till death or victory released him
from personal obligation to his beloved country.
On the organization of the "Fighting Fifth" — an
honorable epithet which the deceased did his full share
to win and maintain — he was commissioned as Captain
of Company A. During the protracted and harassing
fatigue-duty of this gallant regiment, on every toilsome
march, in every battle and skirmish, up to the hour of
his death, Major Sturtevant was with his command.
Could his nameless grave be identified, it could wear no
fitter, no prouder inscription than " the Rappahannock,
Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Peach Orchard, Savage's Station,
White Oak Swamp, Charles City Cross Roads, Malvern
Hill, South Mountain, Antietam, Charlestown, Freder-
icksburgh."
During the " seven days fight," he was in command
of his regiment, and handled his men with conspicuous
skill and gallantry. Upon the resignation of Major
Cook, in July, 1862, he received merited promotion, and
still further distinction awaited him at the hour of his
untimely death. No m*ivi more richly deserved it. In
point of courage, personal endurance and capacity for
securing at once the obedience and affection of his men,
he had no superior in his regiment. On the skirmish
line and on dangerous picket duty, he especially distin
guished himself. While his regiment was building the
" Grape Vine Bridge" over the Chickahominy, Major
Sturtevant's company alone covered their important
undertaking. Again, in the brief lull during the battle
of Fair Oaks, his command was nearest the enemy.
From South Mountain to Antietam, and again in Mc-
Clellan's advance on Charlestown, he led the skirmish
line. He loved this dangerous service. The excitement,
the freedom from restraint, appealed irresistibly to his
adventurous spirit; and his shrewdness, fertility in
FIFTH REGIMENT. 273
resources and strong hold on the affections of his men
O
abundantly fitted him for the position.
He entered upon the battle of Fredericksburg, acting
as Lieut. Colonel, with sad presentiments and yet with
cheerful alacrity. The event justified his mournful
expectations. The Fifth left scores of her bravest and
best men on that blood-stained field; but none braver,
none more imbued with generous impulses and manly
devotion than Major Edward E. Sturtevant. The man
ner of his death — the place of his burial is unknown.
We know only that he was seen on that fatal field at
dark, severely wounded by a minnie ball ; that he was
buried where he would have chosen to be interred — on
the field where he fell, among the nameless heroes whose
interests he had ever made his own. As has well
been said, " a braver man or more faithful friend, never
yielded up his spirit amidst the clangor of arms and the
wail of the dying. Peace to his memory."
All the field officers of the Fifth Regiment were men
of military experience and skill. Col. Cross had seen
service in fighting the Indians in Arazona and the far
West, and had recently returned from an important
military command in Mexico. Lieut. Colonel Langley
had been promoted from Adjutant of the Second Regi
ment, with which he was in the first Bull Run battle ;
and Major Cook had held important commissions in the
Volunteer Militia of Massachusetts, and was an accom
plished officer. The other officers of the staff .and line
had been selected for their peculiar qualifications for the
positions in which they were placed. Thus organized
the regiment gave promise of efficiency in the discharge
of any duty that might be put upon it in the great war
in which the country was engaged.
The regiment left Concord on the 29th of October,
and arrived at Bladensburg, Md., on the 31st, and went
274 THE ORE A T REBELLION.
into camp. On the 3d of November, in the midst of a
rain, with roads in a very bad condition, the regiment
formed a portion of Gen. Howard's Brigade ordered to
Lowor Marlborough, Md. They marched a distance of
about fifty miles in two days, and after one day of rest,
marched back over the same ground, and again went
into camp at Bladensburg.
On the 27th of November the regiment marched
across Long Bridge into Virginia, with Howard's Brig
ade, and was assigned to General Sumner's Division,
and went into camp near Alexandria, at a place which
was afterward known as Camp California. Here the
regiment went into winter quarters, where they remain
ed until the 10th of March. The regiment soon com
menced doing picket and out-post duty at the front,
and established the first line of pickets fronting the
enemy at Fairfax Court House. The men were thor
oughly drilled in regimental and brigade drill and in
bayonet exercise. The commissioned officers were
also thoroughly instructed in the practical part of their
duties. Schools were established by the Colonel and
Lieutenant Colonel for the theoretical instruction of
officers and sergeants, during the winter evenings. A
"common school" for such boys in the regiment as
needed instruction in the elementary branches, was also
put in operation — the necessary books being donated bv
the Sanitary Commission.
Through the winter the regiment furnished heavy
details to build roads, repair bridges and cut timber.
Measles and mumps prevailed to an extraordinary
extent, yet from six to eight hundred men were all the
time fit for duty, which was more than any other regi
ment in the entire Division could turn out.
On the 10th of March the Fifth Regiment formed the
advance guard of Sumner's Division, when it moved
from Camp California on Manassas, Major Cook com-
FIFTH REGIMENT. 275
manding the skirmish line. The march to "Warrenton
was a severe one and very trying to the men, the weather
being cold, much of the time rainy, and the roads in
the most despicable condition, and almost impassable
for the men, to say nothing of baggage trains. They
had no tents, wagons or cooking utensils. These hard
ships were endured for thirty-one days, and yet there
were but very few men in the regiment not fit for duty.
On the 28th of March Gen. Howard commanded a
reconnoissance in force from "Warrenton Junction to the
Rappahannock River, eight miles, for the purpose of
forcing the enemy to cross the river and burn the rail
road bridge. The Fifth formed the advance, Lieut.
Colonel Lan^ley commanding: the skirmish line. The
O J £3
enemy were driven all day, the bridge and railroad
depot burned, and the rebel forces shelled out of their
position. Here the regiment first came under fire — the
skirmish line from the enemy's riflemen, and the main
body from shot and shell. The behavior of the Fifth on
this expedition and its important service, gained great
praise from the commander of the forces.
On the 4th of April the regiment embarked at Alex
andria for the Peninsula, without having returned to
Camp California for tents and regimental property. On
reaching Ship Point the men were obliged to wade from
the vessel to the shore, and camp on the wet ground,
without tents. The regiment detailed daily about three
hundred men to work making corduroy road through
a swamp, and building bridges, in which the men
showed such good qualities as to be highly compli
mented by the Geneial in command. When the siege
of Yorktown commenced the Fifth was sent to join the
Engineer's Brigade, under General Woodbury, with
which they performed much heavy work. They built
a tower one hundred feet high and forty feet base, of
heavy timber, for an observatory at General Headquar-
276 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ters which was about completed when the enemy evacu
ated Yorktown. . - 9
The next day after the evacuation of Yorktown the
regiment marched for Williamsburg. They started just
at dark, in the midst of a severe rainstorm, the roads
being in the worst possible condition. A halt was not
made until near morning, when the tired men dropped
down in the mud to sleep. News came that the battle
had been won, that the enemy were in retreat, and the
regiment marched back to Yorktown, whence on the
llth of May they embarked on the steamer C. Vander-
bilt, and were carried up York river to West Point, and
from thence marched to the Chickahominy river and
went into camp. Here amid the pestilential vapors and
miasma of the swamps many of the men grew sick, and
several died. On the 28th Col. Cross was ordered to
construct a bridge across the Chickahominy swamp and
river, capable of bearing artillery and wagons. A Min
nesota regiment had commenced the work on the previ
ous day, but had been ordered away. The swamp was
flooded from one to four feet deep with water, and
nearly half a mile wide. On one border was the chan
nel of the stream, over thirty yards wide and quite deep.
The swamp was a mass of huge trees, vines, brushwood,
and old wrecks of trees and shrubbery. The labor was
vigorously begun, and with some assistance from small
detachments from two New York regiments, the bridge
was built. It was supported by piers composed of heavy
logs, and seventy rods in length. It was completed
before dark on the 30th — -just in time for Sumner's Corps
to cross the next day, in season for Sedgwick's Division
to check the enemy. It was afterward known as
" Grape-vine bridge," and was the only one on the river
above Bottom's bridge which successfully resisted the
current swollen by rains; and on the 31st of Mav it
bore, in their passage across, its builders, as they hurried
FIFTH REGIMENT. 277
to the field of Fair Oaks. During the night the enemy
were discovered within three hundred yards, and the
regiment took several prisoners. At daylight Col. Cross
captured a rebel courier with important dispatches.
On the morning of the 1st of June two or three hun
dred rebels were discovered close to the right flank,
whom the skirmish line of the Fifth drove out on the
run, — and thus opened the great battle of Fair Oaks, on
the 1st of June, 1862. Kichardson's division moved
forward to engage the enemy, and the lines meeting,
the most terrible conflict ensued ; one after another all
the other regiments of the division became engaged,
and still the enemy held his position, until, at last, word
came to Col. Cross that General Howard was wounded,
and he was in command of the brigade, and the Fifth
was wanted. The Colonel formed his line squarely in
rear of the spot where the fight was hottest, and as
the line engaged in front retired, moved it forward
through a swamp, over the rebel skirmish line, into a
thick pine wood, where the rebel line lay, waiting for
a new line to demolish. The Fifth immediately opened
fire upon the enemy, and from eight hundred rifles
death sped to the rebel ranks. The intensity of the
musketry exceeded that of any the regiment ever
heard afterward, and for twenty minutes, the bullets
flew through the woods, when they missed the human
marks, splintering and severing the trees and branches
for hundreds of yards. Col. Cross was wounded in the
thigh, and Major Cook was struck by a bullet in the
leg, and one hundred and eighty-six had been killed
and wounded, when the rebels gave way and left the
Fifth in possession of the field. The dead of the Fifth
lay within thirty yards of the rebel dead. Thus ended
the battle of Fair Oaks, with twenty minutes' work
of our regiment. The Fifth fired the first and last
shot in this great battle, and suffered as much loss as
278 THE ORE A T REBELLION.
any regiment upon the field. Now under command of
Lieut. Col. Langley, the regiment went into the trenches
before Richmond, where it remained for a month, and
afterward retreated with the rest of the army to Har
rison's Landing, fighting and skirmishing at Savage
Station, Peach Orchard, White Oak Swamp, Charles
City, and Malvern Hill, in all of which the regiment
lost over one hundred officers and men. Lieut. Colonel
Langley heing sick, the regiment was commanded most
of the time by Capt. Sturtevant, and behaved well on
all occasions.
From Harrison's Landing the Fifth marched to New
port News, where Col. Cross joined them and assumed
command. The regiment soon sailed to Alexandria,
landed, and marched to its old locality, Camp Califor
nia, where it arrived on the night of the 28th of August.
On the 29th the Fifth marched to Arlington Heights,
where the men, ragged and battered, and many without
shoes or blankets, hoped as they pitched their tents in
sight of Washington, to be permitted to rest and be
clothed; bat on the 30th, the sounds of artillery being
heard in the direction of Manassas, hurried orders were
received in the afternoon, to leave all tents and blankets,
and march, to re-enforce Gen. Pope. They marched
twenty-three miles with only one halt, and then laid
down in the rain, on wet ground to rest. Some of the
men had no shoes, and their feet were blistered and
bleeding. The next day they were marched to the
front, and formed the skirmish line in face of the ene
my ; which position they held until the entire army
moved away, when they fell back and joined the main
body at Fairfax Court House, being the last regiment
that left Centerville. From this place the regiment
marched to within a short distance of Chain Bridge,
twenty-six miles, without a single straggler. The next
day they marched into Maryland and camped at Ten-
FIFTH REGIMENT. 279
allvtown, whore a few shoes and some clothing were
obtained for the men. On the 4th of September the
regiment marched to Frederick, Md. After marching
through Frederick they camped near the battle-ground
of South Mountain but were held in reserve during
the battle.
BATTLE OF AXTIETAM.
On the 15th of September Richardson's Division, of
which the ^Te\v Hampshire Fifth Regiment formed a
part, crossed the South Mountain, in pursuit of the
enemy. The Fifth was ordered to the front and deploy
ed as skirmishers. In this position they drove in the
cavalry of the enemy and discovered the rebel line of
battle beyond Antietam river. In the pursuit the regi
ment captured over sixty prisoners, and Col. Cross said
the}- might have taken more, but he could not spare the
men to pursue them. AH the remainder of the day
and until late at night, the Fifth engaged the enemy's
sharpshooters, driving them from a strong position.
When relieved the men were nearly exhausted. The
next day four companies were sent to hold the enemy's
riflemen in check, and prevent their burning an impor
tant bridge over the Antietam river, while other compa
nies were sent to destroy obstructions in the river. On
the 17th, the day of the great battle, the Fifth went
into the fight with three hundred rifles and nineteen
commissioned officers. The regiment behaved nobly,
and in the language of the official report "was entitled
to the sole credit of discovering and defeating the
attempt of the enemy to turn the left flank of Richard
son's Division. They captured the large state colors of
the Fourth North Carolina Regiment in this fight, and
by permission of the War Department, it is now depos
ited in onr own State. It was seized by Corporal
Nettleton, of Claremont, who although wounded,
280 THE GREAT REBELLION.
brought them off the field. For this act of bravery he
was promoted to Lieutenant, and was mortally wounded
at the battle of Fredericksburg, on the 13th of Decem
ber, and died of his wounds a few days afterward.
During the battle the Fifth, being hardly pressed and
affairs assuming a desperate character, Col. Cross, his
face streaming with blood from wounds in his forehead,
and blackened with powder, and his head bound round
with a red handkerchief, hurrying to every part of the
line, bade the men "put on the war paint," by rubbing
the torn ends of the cartridges over their faces ; and
then calling for the " war- whoop," he raised his own
voice into the battle cry, and was followed by every
man, until the sound rose above that of artillery and
musketry, carrying defiance to foe and encouragement
to friend. The men plied the rammers, and fired as fast
as possible, and "fire!" "fire!" "fire faster!" rang along
the line from the officers. Men became almost frantic ;
guns could not be loaded fast enough; those of the
wounded were seized and even the arms were taken
from the hands of the rebel dead and discharged at the
heads of their living comrades. A rebel standard bearer
waved his flag defiantly within a few yards. " Shoot the
man with the flag !" shouted twenty voices, and he was
leveled to the dust with his flag. Still they pressed on,
and more desperate grew the chances, when Col. Mc-
Kean, of the Eighty-first Pennsylvania, seeing the situa
tion of the Fifth, brought his regiment from the right,
of his own accord, and forming in a line with the Fifth,
opened a roaring fire of " buck and ball," on the enemy,
which, with the unceasing fire of the Fifth, speedily drove
the enemy off. Soon after the Fifth, being sadly cut up
and very tired, was relieved, and placed in a position
further to the left, behind the crest. During the after
noon the regiment lay under severe artillery fire, which
the enemy continued on the left of the line, during
FIFTH REGIMENT. 281
which its beloved commander, General Richardson, was
mortally wounded while directing the fire of a battery.
He had been among the bravest of the brave, and had
charged on foot, sword in hand, with the front line.
He was succeeded by General Hancock, who of all
others, perhaps, could best fill his place. The battle
raged from the right of the line to the left, where Burn-
side was engaged, at intervals, until night; but the
Fifth was not again called on. On the 18th it was only
employed in skirmishing. A detachment of recruits
fresh from New Hampshire, arrived on the field, and
Col. Cross caused them to arm themselves from the
slain. On the 19th the rebels had retreated.
In this battle over one hundred thousand men and
five hundred pieces of artillery had been engaged on
both sides, with a loss to the enemy of near fifteen
thousand men, a number of guns and colors, and a loss
on the Union side of twelve thousand four hundred and
sixty men, and not a gun or color. From three hundred
and nineteen officers and men of the Fifth, who went
into the fight, one hundred and eight had been killed
and wounded. Among the killed was Second Lieut.
George A. Gay, a gallant young officer, lately promoted
for meritorious conduct. Among the wounded was
Second Lieut. Charles W. Bean, a young officer of great
promise, who died of his wounds soon after. Gen.
McClellan, in his report of operations, highly compli
mented Col. Cross and his regiment, by a personal
notice. It was in this battle that the regiment earned
the title of " The Fighting Fifth."
On the 21st Gen. Hancock's Division encamped on
Boliver Heights, and during the rest of September and
nearly all of October, the Fifth remained inactive, with
the exception of marching on one reconnoissance to
Charlestown, Ya., in which it came under fire for a few
minutes. The time was employed in drill and picket
282 THE GREAT REBELLION.
duty, and the regiment was once more fully clothed and
equipped. Major Cook resigned on account of wounds,
and Capt. Sturtevant of Company A, was promoted to
Major, his commission dating from July 3, 1862.
The Fifth had now been in the service a year, and a
most eventful year it had been During the }-ear the
regiment had received one hundred and forty-six re
cruits, making the total strength for that period eleven
hundred and fifty-six. Two officers had been killed and
seventeen wounded. Sixty men had lost their lives in
battle ; two hundred and forty had been wounded, and
sixteen were missing, making the whole loss in battle
three hundred and thirty-five. Sixty-nine died of disease,
twelve officers resigned, four were dismissed, one hun
dred and thirty-five men were discharged, and fifty-one
had deserted. Of the eleven hundred and fifty-six who
had belonged to the regiment during the year, four hun
dred and fortyrnine had been lost in various ways ; and
of the seven hundred and seven remaining on the rolls
but three hundred and twenty-three were present for
duty.
On the 29th of October the march was taken up, and
the division moved across the Shenandoah and down
the Loudon Valley. On the 3d of November the Fifth
Regiment came under fire at Snicker's Gap, and about
the 14th the tents were pitched at Falmouth. Log huts
were built and covered with tents, and the regiment
once more went into winter quarters.
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURO.
On the llth of December the Second Corps was
massed opposite Fredericksburg, and a portion of it
effected a crossing under a severe fire from the enemy's
infantry among the houses in the city. On the 12th
the whole Corps had crossed on pontoon bridges, which
had been thrown over the Rappahannock river, in the
FIFTH REGIMENT. 283
face of the fire of sharpshooters and infantry. On the
morning of the 13th commenced the great battle of
Fredericksburg, which proved so disastrous to our
troops under Gen. Burnside, and in which the Fifth
New Hampshire Regiment lost many of its bravest and
best men. Hancock's Division charged across the plain
toward the heights where the rebels were strongly
intrenched, under a destructive fire, while our artil
lery on the opposite side of the river were throwing
shell and solid shot into the tow^n. The advantage was
with the rebels from the first; for their batteries,
securely covered by works on the heights, poured the
most accurate and rapid fire through the advancing
lines on the plain — the shots often flying into the streets
of the city, or striking the houses and scattering the
bricks, spread death into the ranks, long before they
were within musket shot; while there were no batteries
opposed which could silence them. The infantry, be
hind a stone wall, could not be materially harmed by
our bullets or shells, and the only hope of success on
our side was to reach and dislodge them with the bayo
net. Vainly did the brave men of Hancock's Division
strive to accomplish this work, but its ranks melted
away ; the colors were repeatedly leveled, and the offi
cers were stricken down, until but the shattered rem
nants of its battalions, unable to close their ranks or
re-form their lines, defiantly and desperately lay down
in the position they had attained, and there their colors
waved until night's pitying shades fell over the field
and obscured the unwavering marks of shot, shell and
bullets. The Fifth was in the front line, and sustained
the full fury of the fire. A shell burst in front of Col.
Cross, and he fell, apparently lifeless. Major Sturte-
vant was mortally wounded, and died upon the field.
The regiment swept on in the stern ardor to win the
fight. In Major Sturtevant the regiment lost an honest,
284 THE GREAT REBELLION.
earnest patriot and soldier, and one who would share
Jiis blanket and his last crust with A fellow soldier.
The colors of the regiment were shot down again and
again ; alternately upraised by a sergeant, a corporal,
a private, or an officer ; and in their heroic efforts to
keep the line closed and advancing, and the colors up,
fell three captains — the valiant Murray, the noble Perry,
and the young and courageous Moore. Lieut. Nettleton,
who was promoted at Antietam, was mortally wounded,
and Lieut. Little, returning from home, where he had
been recovering from wounds, arrived on that fatal day,
just as the regiment was moving forward, and hurried
to join his company only to receive a mortal wound.
The survivors of the regiment reached a corn-field,
within a few rods of the enemy, and these — a mere
skirmish line — held their ground ; and among the fore
most Lieut. Ballou, an accomplished gentleman and
brave officer, met his death. When night came the
regiment moved to the city, without one hundred and
eighty-six officers and men who had marched out in
the morning to fall victims to a most unfortunate blun
der. Col. Cross was carried from the field, and subse
quently recovered from his wounds to die upon the
field of Gettysburg.
After the battle of Fredericksburg, and under cover
of darkness, the division recrossed the river and went
into camp at Falmouth, and the Fifth Regiment employ
ed the succeeding months in picket duty, drill and
recruiting its shattered strength. Col. Cross, after an
absence of several weeks returned to the regiment with
a set of new colors, to replace the old ones which were
sent home. Returning officers and men raised the
number to near two hundred, and the regiment, which
had resembled a company after the Fredericksburg
battle, started on the spring campaign of 1863 with the
fiemblanco of a battalion.
FIFTH REaiMENT. 285
Captain Charles E. Hapgood was promoted to Lieut.
Colonel, December 14, 1862, in place of Lieut. Colonel
Langley, resigned, and Captain Richard E. Cross was
j.iomoted to Major on the same date, in place of Major
Sturtevant, killed in battle. Early in January, 1863,
Gen. Hooker succeeded Gen. Burnside in the command
of the army, and reorganization and refitting were the
order of the day.
In the latter part of April, 1863, the Fifth Regiment
was moved up the Rappahannock river, and distributed
at the houses through the country in the vicinity of
Banks' Ford, for the purpose of preventing communica
tion between the people and the enemy during the
movements of the army preliminary to its passage
across the river. The Fifth occupied twenty-seven
houses.
On the first of May the Fifth, with two other regi
ments, which had been performing similar duty, marched
under the command of Col. Cross as a provisional brig
ade, arriving on the field during the progress of the
action at the Chancellorsville House, and was at once
placed in the line of battle. -At night they slept upon
their arms, and the next morning the Fifth supported a
battery, the men lying between the guns. Later in the
day a skirmish line under command of Colonel Miles, of
the Sixty-first New York Regiment in which a detail
of the Fifth was posted, performed the extraordinary
feat of repelling an attack of the enemy in column ;
and toward evening, when the Eleventh Corps was
routed by the enemy, and sent flying across the plain,
sixty of the fugitives were caught by the Fifth, and
retained in the ranks, and some of them were afterward
killed or wounded. During the afternoon of the 3d the
army retired to a position nearer the river, and during
its movements to Col. Cross was given the arduous and
desperate duty of holding the enemy in check at the
286 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Chancellorsville House, until it was accomplished. The
enemy approached on the front, the flai*k and the rear,
and threatened to envelope the small brigade which was
in his path ; hut under a severe fire it held its ground
steadfastly, wheeling or facing to each point, as it was
assailed. A battery which was left with the brigade,
having lost its officers and nearly all its men and horses,
was silenced by the severe fire of the enemy, when Col.
Cross himself sighted and fired a piece at the approach
ing enemy, and was about to man the battery by men
from the Fifth, when his brigade was ordered to follow
the army, and the battery was brought away by hand.
The enemy closed rapidly on the retiring column, and
for some time shot and shell crashed through with
destructive effect. A short distance to the rear a new
line was taken up, where, in hastily constructed earth
works, the army remained until the 5th, when it re-
crossed the Rappahannock, and although withdrawn, it
has never acknowledged itself whipped in that battle.
The Fifth lost nearly forty officers and men. Another
stay of a month was made at Falmouth, the time being
employed in preparing for the summer campaign, which
opened in June.
On the 9th of June a detail of a hundred and thirty
men from the Fifth Regiment formed a part of the
picket force of infantry which accompanied the cavalry
of the army on a reconnoissance in force across the
Rappahannock. Colonel Cross commanded the detail
from the Second Corps, which arrived at Kelley's Ford
in the evening. Instructions were issued for the infantry
to cross and drive the enemy away on the other side, to
protect the crossing of the cavalry. The passage was
effected in canvas boats before light on the next morn
ing, by Col. Cross' command, and the enemy were
driven away by a skirmish line.
The cavalry crossed and pushed for Brandy Station,
FIFTH REGIMENT. 287
when there speedily ensued one of the memorable cav
alry battles of the war. Col. Cross' command rejoined
its corps in a few days, and with it moved up to Thor
oughfare Gap, and from thence across the Potomac at
Edward's Ferry, through Poolsville, Md., to Frederick
City. Gen. Couch was relieved and Gen. Hancock
assumed command of the Corps, which placed Gen.
Caldwell in command of the division and Col. Cross in
command of the brigade — the command of the regiment
devolved upon Lieut. Colonel Hapgood. On the 29th
the regiment marched thirty-two miles, and on the 1st
of July reached the field of Gettysburg.
BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG.
On the morning of the 2d of July, the brigade took
position in the line, on that well remembered crest, in
open field, where it remained until five o'clock in the
afternoon, when it moved toward Round Top. The
Fifth, detached from the brigade for a short time to
hold a road, rejoined it at six o'clock, to enter at once
into the fight which raged on the right of Round Top.
The whole of Gen. Caldwell's division became engaged
in a very sanguinary conflict, in which the rebels strove
to drive the line back, and thereby envelope the left
flank of the army. The Fifth stood its ground unflinch
ingly, and Col. Cross, ever solicitous for its good
conduct, came from the center of the brigade to its
front, and there encouraging his men, he fell mortally
wounded by a bullet in the abdomen, and was carried
off the field. The regiment fired away all its ammunition
but five rounds, and then being relieved, was among the
last to leave the field. It was immeditely placed in sup
port of a battery, where it remained until about nine
o'clock in the evening, when it rejoined the brigade,
and resumed its position of the morning.
288 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
On the morning of the 3d the regiment constructed
a line of rude intrfiflchments, and in tftem lay under
the tremendous artillery fire of the day from the
enemy's batteries, and during the attack of their in
fantry, which was so terribly repulsed. Its skirmishers
took thirty prisoners, and the regiment was first to
discover the retreat of the enemy. On the 5th the
regiment marched from the field, leaving four officers
and eighty-two men killed and wounded, out of twelve
officers and one hundred and sixty-five men who went
into the fight. What remained of the Fifth marched
down the London Valley to Warrenton, and then it was
ordered to Point Lookout, Md., on the 26th ; but at
"Washington the destination was changed to Concord,
IS. H., where it reported at draft rendezvous, on the 3d
of August. During a stay at Concord of nearly three
months the regiment was recruited to the minimum
strength, and Lieut. Colonel Hapgood was promoted
to Colonel, Major Cross to Lieut. Colonel, and Captain
Larkin, of Company A, to Major. The regiment again
left the State for the seat of war early in November,
reached Point Lookout on the 13th, and was placed
under command of Brigadier General Gilman Marston,
in company'with the Second and Twelfth New Hamp
shire Regiments, and employed in guarding rebel
prisoners confined at that place.
On the 27th of May, 1864, the regiment again marched
for the field, and joined the brigade commanded by
Col. Miles, in the Second Army Corps, on the 1st of
June. The army was then in the midst of that grand
campaign from the Rapidan to the James, and on the
night of the arrival, the Fifth marched with its Corps
and reached Cold Harbor in the evening of the next
day, and threw up a line of breastworks. In the general
assault on the enemy's works on the 3d, the Fifth
moved forward about half a mile, under a severe fire,
FIFTH REGIMENT. 289
at the double quick, but refrained from firing a shot
until it had carried the works in its front and captured
one gun and a number of prisoners. The pursuit of
the enemy followed at once, and continued for three
hundred yards, when the regiment alone met a fresh
line of the enemy, and engaged it at short range. A
fierce struggle followed, in which the only hope of vic
tory was based upon the probability of the seasonable
arrival of supports, as the enemy brought an overpower
ing force to bear upon the regiment ; but those on the
flank had failed to break through the rebel lines, and
the enemy remaining in their front turned fiercely on
its flank, and, aided by those who had surrendered,
treacherously taking up arms and firing into its rear,
compelled it to retire, desperately striving to retain each
foot of ground. But bravery and valor were unavail
ing, and the works were relinquished, though the fight
did not cease until the last man was over, and Capt.
Ricker was seen to stop, and with one cut of his sword
kill a rebel gunner in the midst of his section. Captain
Goodwin, an officer of lion heart and noble bearing,
was killed inside the works. Lieutenant Humphrey, a
young and gallant officer, was killed between the lines,
and Lieutenant Spaulding received a wound through
the lungs, which caused his death afterward. He was
a brave soldier and an honorable man. The total loss
of the regiment in this engagement was two hundred
and two officers and men. The recruits in the regiment
showed great courage and steadiness throughout this
whole affair, and were commended on all sides. A new
line of works was constructed close to the enemy, and
in them the regiment constantly suffered losses from the
unremittent fire of the enemy, until the 12th of June.
The march was resumed and the James River was
crossed on the 15th, and on the 16th the Fifth again
went into action, on the right of its division, in the
290 TEE GREAT REBELLION.
attack on the enemy's works at Petersburg, in which
it lost thirty officers and men, killed and wounded.
Among the killed was Lieutenant Shapl^jgh, a reliable
and esteemed officer. Colonel Hapgood was among, the
wounded, and the command of the regiment devolved
on Major Larkin, under whom it moved out of the
works on the 17th, in line of battle, and performing the
manoeuvre, always difficult under fire, of changing front,
moved up close to the enemy's works, and there, for two
hours and a half, standing on a rise of ground, and
completely exposed, maintained so accurate and rapid a
fire on the enemy that his line was unable to remain
standing in the works. One hundred and sixty rounds
of ammunition per man were expended before the reg
iment was ordered to desist. The loss was twenty-nine
killed and wounded. On the 18th seven men were lost
in gaining a position on the Norfolk Railroad, and on
the 21st the regiment aided in repelling an attack of the
enemy on the works near the Jerusalem Plank Road.
From the 24th of June to the 13th of July the Fifth
was kept in the works on picket, and in support of the
cavalry ; after which time, until July 26th, it was em
ployed in the various operations of the siege.
On the 27th of July the Fifth, with its brigade, was
engaged in the action at Deep Bottom, and captured a
line of works from the enemy, with four guns and a
number of prisoners. The regiment received commen
dation from Gen. Hancock, commanding the Corps, in
general orders, for its good conduct in the movements
across the James. On the 30th, Captain Butler, of
Company K, who while serving on the staff of -Maj.
Gen. W. F. Smith, was wounded in an action near the
Hare House, on the 30th, of June, died from his wound,
after arriving home. He was an officer much respected
for his valor and other soldierly and gentlemanly
qualities.
FIFTH REGIMENT. 291
On the 13th of August another march was made
across the James river, and the Fifth with its Corps,
was again engaged with the enemy near Charles City
Cross Roads, the scene of one of the battles of 1862.
The Second Corps recrossed the James, and moved out
on the Weldon Railroad, tearing up and destroying it
to Ream's Station, where the enemy was again encoun
tered. The line 'of battle, formed in a half circle, was
broken through by a sudden attack of the enemy, and
Miles' brigade, enveloped on one flank, was driven back,
leaving some artillery ; but its invincible commander
led his men forward again without delay, and the Fifth
rescued the only guns which were saved on the field.
The regiment lost thirty-three of its number, among
whom was Lieut. Robert H. Chase, killed. He was a
young officer lately promoted, who as a Sergeant in the
action of the 17th of June won for himself honorable
notice from the commanding officer of the regiment.
The Fifth went into the trenches in front of Peters
burg, where for three months it was occupied with the
most arduous and dangerous duties of the siege, during
which time its losses amounted to about one hundred
and fifty officers and men. About the middle of Octo
ber the ranks of the regiment were again filled with a
large number of substitutes, including many " bounty-
jumpers," who took the earliest opportunity to desert to
the enemy. Some of them bent their guns before leav
ing, which led to the belief that they were Canadian
rebels. Some of them were afterward captured and
made to suffer the penalty of death to expiate their
crime.
On the 12th of October, the three years' term of
enlistment having expired, those men who had not
re-enlisted, and such officers as desired, were mustered
out of the service, and returned home to New Hamp
shire, under Col. Hapgood. Capt. Crafts was promoted
292 THE GREAT REBELLION.
to Lieut. Colonel, Capt. Livermore to Major, and Ass't
Surgeon Childs to Surgeon. The regiment being
reduced in number below the minimum, was organized
into a battalion of eight companies and a fraction.
In December the Second Corps moved to the extreme
left of the line, and occupied Fort Welch, which was
at the salient angle of the left flank of the works in
front of Petersburg. Here the regiment was drilled,
clothed, equipped, recruits raised, a company of New
Hampshire Sharpshooters consolidated with it, and again
assumed its old position among the reliable regiments
of the corps ; but through the seeming unjust opera
tion of the mustering regulations, the regimental or
ganization of ten companies could not be resumed.
When, in the last days of March the Army of the
Potomac commenced those operations which culminated
in the surrender of the army of Northern Virginia, the
Second Corps moved from its intrenchments, crossing
Hatcher's Run, and extending its lines five miles toward
Dinwiddie Court House, Miles' Division, to which the
Fifth belonged, forming the left of the line. For three
days the enemy was continually encountered in the
dense woods and thickets on the Run, and the Fifth,
though always in the front line, fortunately suffered but
little. On the night after the battle of Five Forks,
Miles' Division moved out toward that field, and join
ing Gen. Sheridan, swept down the rebel works on the
next day, where the grand assault had proved success
ful, and the rebels had begun their retreat; and pushing
toward the Appomattox, in pursuit, it encountered
three rebel divisions at Wells' Church, where in hastily
constructed works, they sought to arrest our advance
until the remainder of their army on that field might
cross the river. It was of the utmost importance that
they should not accomplish their object, and the gallant
General Miles, regardless of their superiority of num-
FIFTH REGIMENT. 293
bers, at once attacked their position by assault. Twice
be was repulsed' with severe loss; but undauntedly
moving on the third time, his gallant division poured
over the works into twice its numbers, and captured
five hundred prisoners, while the remainder fled toward
the river. Half a battery was also captured, and some
colors. The enemy was vigorously pursued for three
days, and on the morning of the 6th of April, when
the whole army moved forward to attack him at Amelia
Court House, where he was supposed to be resting, his
rear was discovered in fall retreat toward Lynchburg,
by the Second Corps. Not a moment was lost in at
tacking him, and the retreat was soon changed into a
rout. The course pursued by the enemy was a succes
sion of hills and valleys, which afforded eligible positions
for resistance, which the enemy availed himself of at
five different times during the day, when his rear guard,
of five or six thousand men, forming its line on the
crests, strove to retard our advance upon the trains,
which could be seen flying over the hills. The Second
Corps formed in line of battle two miles in length,
the whole front covered by skirmishers and with three
brigades in reserve. The Fifth was in the front line
during the whole day. The whole line moved forward
together, and when it arrived in front of the position
chosen by the rebels for defense, halting just long
enough to discover the approaches, it invariably sent
them flying after their retreating columns. The road
for twelve miles was strewn with abandoned wagons
and impediments of every kind, attesting to the terror
of the fugitives. Just as the sun went down the ene
my's train was discovered at Sailor's Creek at a halt,
with the bridge and ford blocked so that a passage was
impossible. On either side of the creek there rose
lofty hills. On the crest of one of them between our
advance and the creek, the rebel rear guard made an
294 THE GREAT REBELLION.
obstinate stand, but with one grand charge the Second
Corps swept it over the hill across the creek, and up
the next, and triumphantly took possession of the train.
Darkness closed on the wearied men, who in the twelve
hours of light had marched thirteen miles, fought five
times, and captured fifteen hundred prisoners, three
cannon, eleven colors, and a train of near two hundred
wagons. Some hundred thousand dollars of " Confed
erate " money was captured in the train, with which
our soldiers perpetrated the pleasantry of paying off
the prisoners in their hands. The Fifth lost twenty-
three men killed and wounded during the day.
The pursuit was resumed on the next morning. The
Appomattox was crossed at High Bridge, a structure two
thousand feet long and eighty feet high, which was set on
fire at the west end, by the rebels, who, forming line of
battle, endeavored to retard the advance of our troops
until it should be materially injured; but they were soon
put to flight, and the bridge, which promised to be of
the utmost importance in future operations, was saved
by the exertions of Major Livermore, of the Fifth New
Hampshire Eegiment, of Major General Humphrey's
Staff. At a short distance from Farmville the rebels
made a stand with their whole army against the Second
Corps — the only infantry across the river — and the
cavalry. They skirmished witn the rebels all day, not
having force enough to warrant a direct assault, expect
ing the arrival of re-enforcements. Near sundown
all the companies of the Fifth but two, which remained
on the skirmish line, with two other regiments, were
selected to make a charge. The Fifth was commanded
by Capt. Kicker, Lieut. Colonel Crafts being in com
mand of the skirmishers. The country between the
enemy's works and the right flank of the corps, from
which point the assault was to be made, was a suc
cession of abrupt hills and difficult ravines, presenting
FIFTH REGIMENT. 295
great obstacles to a rapid movement. The regiment
moved forward, and almost immediately the enemy
opened with both a direct and cross fire, and one of the
most bloody battles in which the Fifth had been engaged
during the war, ensued. Close to the works the colors
of the regiment were taken by the enemy. Lieut.
Ryder, a gallant officer, was killed, and Capt. Collins, a
brave man, was mortally wounded. Both of these had
joined the regiment from the Engineers Corps. Capt.
Bicker, in the most persistent efforts to carry his line
forward, fell with three wounds — one of which he had
borne all day — after having two horses shot under him,
and was taken prisoner close to the works. The loss of
the Fifth on this day was six officers and one hundred
and four men killed and wounded, and four officers and
sixty-three men taken prisoners. The next day the regi
ment moved again in the pursuit, when Capt. Ricker
was recaptured. On the 9th, the shattered remnant
of the Fifth having followed to the surrender, received
back its colors, which it had fairly won from the rebels,
together with the release of the captured officers and
men.
After the surrender of the rebel army, the Fifth
marched through Richmond to the vicinity of Washing
ton, and in May marched in grand review before the
President. On the last of June it started for Concord,
and was mustered out of service on the 8th of July,
1865.
During the three years and nine months that this regi
ment was in the service, it had borne upon its rolls
the names of about twenty-six hundred men. It lost
from the casualties of war about fifteen hundred, about
thirteen hundred of which were in actions. Sixteen of
its officers were killed or mortally wounded in battle.
The foregoing sketch of the Fifth Regiment has been
taken mostly from the Adjutant General's reports, and
296 THE GREAT REBELLION.
serves to give but a faint and imperfect idea of its val
uable services during the war ; its desperate and bloody
battles, than which none from this State can show a
longer list; its hardships in the trenches opposite Peters
burg and on working details; its fatiguing marches and
privations incident to war, all of which the men endured
with uncomplaining patience and bravery. Were a full
history of its operations attempted, a much larger vol
ume than the one in hand would be required to contain
it. Instances of individual gallantry on the part of
officers and men in that regiment are so numerous that
a list of them would be too great for present limits ;
and a roll of its killed in battle would appear almost
incredible. May a grateful country do the Fifth New
Hampshire Kegiment of Volunteers justice — written
history never can.
SIXTH REGIMENT. 297
SIXTH REGIMENT,
This Kegiment was recruited mainly in the western
part of the State, under the same call and with the
same bounty as was paid to the three preceding ones.
It rendezvoused at Keene, and was mustered into the
United States service on the 27th, 28th and 30th of
November, 1861, and left the State for the seat of war
on the 25th of December, with ten hundred and twenty-
four officers and men. The following were its field,
staff and company officers while in service, with the
official record of each :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Nelson Converse, of Marlborough.
Resigned March 8, 1862.
Simon G. Griffin, of Concord.
Promoted to Brigadier General U. S. Vols. May 12, 1864.
Phin P. Bixby, of Concord.
Appointed Colonel U. S. Vols. by brevet, for gallant and highly meritorious
conduct in the assault before Petersburg, Va., to date from April 2, 1865.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Nelson Converse, of Marlborough.
Promoted to Colonel Oct. "26, 1861.
Simon G. Griffin, of Concord.
Promoted to Colonel April 22, 1852.
Charles Scott, of Peterborough.
Resigned Oct. 4, 1862.
Henry H. Pearson, of Exeter.
Killed in action May 26, 1864.
Phin P. Bixby, of Concord.
Promoted to Colonel Feb. 21, 1865.
Samuel D. Quarles, of Ossipee.
Appointed Lieut. Colonel U. S. Vols. by brevet, for gallant and meritorious
conduct before Petersburg, Va., to date from April 2, 1865. Mustered out
July 17, 1865.
Majors — Charles Scott, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel April 22, 1862.
298 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Obed G. Dort, of Keene.
Resigned Oct. 15, 1862.
Phin P. Bixby, of Concord.
Wounded July 15, 1864. Promoted to Lieut. Colonel July 28, 1864.
Samuel D. Quarles, of Ossipee.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel June 1, 1865.
Robert L. Ela, of Concord.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Adiutants — Don H. "Woodward, of Keene.
Resigned Nov. 28, 1861.
Phin P. Bixby, of Concord.
Promoted to Major Oct. 15, 1862.
John S. Smith, of Peterborough.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Mustered out March 2, 1865.
Quartermasters — Alonzo Nute, of Farmington.
Resigned March 19, 1863.
Eli Wentworth, of Milton.
Died July 18, 1863.
Gilmore McL. Houston, of Plymouth.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Surgeons— William A. Tracy, of Nashua.
l?,1L!,f»
Resigned March 15, 1863.
>r
tei
James H. Noyes, of Nashua.
Sherman Cooper, of Claremont.
Mustered out November 28, 1864.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Aes't Surgeons — Sherman Cooper, of Claremont.
Promoted to Surgeon March 20, 1863.
James H. Noyes, of Nashua.
Promoted to Surgeon Jan. 2, 1865.
James P. Walker, of Manchester.
Resigned Feb. 8, 1864.
Elihu P. Pierce, of Winchester.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Chaplains— Robert Stinson, of Croydon.
Resigned July 15, 1862.
John A. Hamilton, of Keene.
Resigned July J, 1863.
John S. Dore, of Waterville, Me.
Mustered out July 17. 1865.
Sergeant Majors— Timothy K. Ames, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Second Lieut. April 28, 1862.
Charles F. Winch, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Aug. 6, 1862.
SIXTH REGIMENT. 299
John M. Dodd, of Peterborough.
Re-enlisted Jan. 1, 1864. Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864.
Abraham Cohn, of New York City.
Wounded July 30, 1864 Promoted to First Lieut. March 1, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeants — A. M. Kimball, of Rochester.
Not officially accounted for.
Gilmore McL. Houston, of Plymouth.
Promoted to Quartermaster Aug. 1, 1863.
Omar "W. Gate, of Holderness.
Re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. June 1, 1865.
Elijah T. Platts, of Fitzwilliam.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — John H. Varney, of Milton.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Feb. 1, 1863.
Samuel R. Dickerman, of Nashua.
Re-enlisted Jan. 1, 1864. Reduced to ranks July 1, 1864.
John A. Platts, of Fitzwilliam.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 1, 1865.
William Delano, of Newport,
Mustered out July 17, 1855.
Hospital Stewards — James H. Noyes, of Nashua,
Promoted 'to Ass't Surgeon May 13, 1862.
Levi P. Dodge, of New London.
Discharged for disability Feb. 1863.
Marshall L. Brown, of Keene.
Re-enlisted Dec. 29, 1863. Promoted to Ass't Surgeon June 1, 1865.
Charles Gelberg, of Stark.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Shubael "White, of Keene.
Discharged for disability March 3, 1862,
John Currier.
Not officially accounted for.
"Wallace Scott, af Peterborough.
Mustered out Dec. 13, 1864.
John G. Mason, of Tarn worth.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — Joseph Clark, of Plymouth.
Resigned April 14, 1862.
Oliver H. P. Craige, of Holderness.
Resigned Oct. 21, 1862.
300 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Thomas II. Dearborn of Seabrook.
Mustered out Nov. 27. 1864.
John S. Rowell, of Brentwoed.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
First Lients.— Oliver H. P. Craige, of Holderness.
Promoted to Captain April 15, 1862
Thomas P. Cheeney, of Holderness.
Resigned Nov. 25, 1862
Thomas H. Dearborn, of Seabrook.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 24, 1863.
John S. Rowell, of Brentwood.
Wounded Sept. 30, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan. 7, 1865.
Omar W. Gate, of Holderness.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts.— Thos. P. Cheeney, of Holderness.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 15, 1862.
Alfred L. Smith, of Plymouth.
Resigned Dec. 22, 18(53.
Frederick P. Hardy, of Groton.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 8, 1865.
Alvah Heald, of Temple.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
n0 B — Captains — Sam. P. Adams, of Haverhill.
Resigned July 30, 1862.
Samuel G. Goodwin, of Littleton.
Wounded July 3, 1864. Appointed Major U. S. Vols. by brevet, for gallant
and meritorious services before Petersburg, Va., to date from April 2, 1865.
Mustered out as Captain July 17, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Andrew J. Roberts, of Enfield.
Resigned May 10, 1862.
Samuel G. Goodwin, of Littleton.
Promoted to Captain July 31, 1862.
Lyman Jackman, of Woodstock.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 1, 1804.
Thomas J. Carlton, of Enfield.
Wounded Sept. 30, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan. 10, 1865.
Frank Pierce, of Troy.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Samuel G. Goodwin, of Littleton.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 16, 1862.
Lyman Jackman, of Woodstock.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1863.
James M. Dodd, of Peterborough.
Died of disease May 14, 1864.
SIXTH REGIMENT. 301
Co. C. — Captains — Henry H. Pearson, of Exeter.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Oct. 15, 1862.
William K. Crossfield, of Keene.
Killed near Petersburg, July 30, 1864.
Lyrnan Jackman, of AVoodstock.
Taken Prisoner at'Poplar Grove Church Sept. 30, 1864. Released Feb. 24,
1865. Mustered out July 17, 1865.
First Lieuts. — David A. Titcomb, of Seabrook.
Promoted to Captain April 18, 1862.
James P. Brooks, of Newmarket.
Resigned Oct. 31, 1862.
John H. Varney, of Milton.
Mustered out Jan. 5, 1865.
Abraham Cohn, of New York City.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — James P. Brooks, of Newmarket.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 29, 1862.
Matthew K Greenleaf, of Exeter.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 12, 1862.
Thomas H. Dearborn, of Seabrook.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 1, 1863
Henry J. Griffin, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 1, 1864.
Henry E. Badger, of Peterborough.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Co. D. — Captains — Samuel D. Quarles, of Ossipee.
Wounded May 18, 1864. Promoted to Major July 28, 1864.
John W. Hanscom, of Farmington.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Josiah N. Jones, of Wakefield.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 4, 1862.
Albert W. Hayes, of Farmington.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 24, 1862.
Orange B. Otis, of Rochester.
Wounded July 3, 1864. Honorably discharged Nov. 28, 1864.
Charles W. Thurston, of Stoddard.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Albert W. Hayes, of Farmington.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 4",' 1862.
Josiah Prescott, of Sandwich.
Killed at Bull Run, Aug. 29, 1862.
Robert T. Brown, of Tamworth.
Dismissed Nov. 18, 1863
302 THE GREAT REBELLION.
John "W. Hanscom, of Farmington.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan. 9, 1865.
Co. E.— Captains— Obed G. Dort, of Keene.
Promoted to M^or April 22, 1862.
John A. Cummings, of Peterborough.
Discharged to accept promotion, April 5, 1864.
Edward F. Adams, of Maryborough.
Mustered out Jan. 6, 1865.
William H. Keay, of Dover.
Mustered out July 1 7, 1865.
First Lieuts. — J. H. Cummings, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Captain April 23, 1862.
George H. Muchmore, of Keene.
Died Sept. 11, 1862.
Matthew K Greenleaf, of Exeter.
Promoted to Captain July 1, 1863.
Edward F. Adams, of Marlborough.
Promoted to Captain April 20, 1864.
John Curtin, of Keene.
Wounded May 6, 1864. Wounded June 3, 1864. Discharged on account
of wounds Aug. 19, 1864.
Sidney B. Higgins, of Chesterfield.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — George II. Muchmore, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 23, 1862.
William K. Crossfield, of Keene.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 16, 1862.
John S. Smith, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Adjutant March 20, 1863.
John Curtin, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 20, 1864.
Frank L. Gray, of Hancock.
Wounded May 12, 1864. Not mustered. Discharged for disability as First
Sergeant, Dec. 25, 1864.
James 0. Smith, of Holdeness.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Co. F. — Captains — George C. Starkweather, of Keene.
Resigned Jan. 29, 1862.
Amos D. Combs, of Swanzey.
Resigned Aug. 2, 1862.
Josiah K. Jones, of Wakcfield.
Mustered out Nov. 28, 1864.
Thomas J. Carlton, of Enfield.
Honorably discharged June 13, 1865.
SIXTH REGIMENT. 303
John H. Pinkham, of Dover.
Mustered out July 17, 18G5.
First Lieuts. — Amos I). Combs, of Swanzcy.
Promoted to < aptain April "2 ', 1802.
John L. Adams, of Alstead.
Honorably discharged March 14, 1868.
George E. Upton.
Killed at Petersburg July 80, 1864.
Charles L. Clarke, of Wolfeborough.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John L. Adams, of Alstead.
Promoted to First Lieut April 29, 1862.
Isaac A. Dustin, of Deny.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 1, 1863.
Cyrus G. McClure, of Keene.
Wounded May 18, 1864. Honorably discharged Nov. 28, 1864.
Charles C. Chesley, of Concord.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Co. G.— Captains— John W. Putnam, of Croydon.
Resigned Oct. 27, 1862.
Albert W. Hayes, of Farmington.
Honorably discharged Sept. 30, 1863.
Isaac A. Dustin, of Derry.
Honorably discharged May 17, 1864.
Adams K. Tilton, of Canterbury.
Killed near Pegram House, Va.,'Sept. 30, 1864.
Henry J. Griffin of Concord.
Mustered out July 17, 1864.
First Lieuts. — E. Darwin Comings, of Croydon.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 2, 1862.
Timothy K. Ames, of Peterborough.
Killed at Bull Run, Aug. 22, 1862.
Isaiah A. Dustin, of Derry.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 1, 1863.
Adams 3L Tilton, of Canterbury.
Promoted to Captain July 2, 1864.
Henry J. Griffin, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 11, 1865.
Russell Tyler, of Cornish.
Wounded April 2, 1865. Mustered out July 17, 1866.
Second Lieuts. — C. Y. Gardner, of Sunapee.
Resigned May 15, 1862.
Edward M. Emerson.
Resigned Dec. 3, 1862.
304 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
John A. George, of Newport.
Honorably discharged Aug. 26, 1864.
Sebastian L. Getchell, of Wentworth.
Honorably discharged Aug. 26, 1864.
Moses P. Bemis, of Littleton.
Mustered out July 17 1865.
Co. H. — Captains — John B. Sanders, of Durham.
Resigned Aug. 2, 1862.
E. Darwin Comings, of Croydon.
Resigned Oct. 31, 1862.
Matthew N". Greenleaf, of Exeter.
Wounded June 30, 1864. Honorably discharged for disability Nov. 28,
1864. Restored to rank March 1, 1865. Mustered out July 17, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Andrew J. Sides, of Portsmouth.
Resigned July 3, 1862.
Eli Wentworth, of Milton.
Appointed Quartermaster March 19, 1863.
Theodore llanscom, of Jaffrey.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 2, 1863.
"William H. Keay, of Dover.
Wounded July 26, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan 7, 1865.
John II. Pinkham, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain June 1, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Eli Wentworth, of Milton.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 4. 1862.
Hosea C. Clay, of Rochester.
Died of disease Nov. 3, 1862.
Theodore llanscom, of Jaffrey.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 2, 1863.
Thomas J. Carl ton, of Enfield.
Wounded June 3, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 1, 1864.
Co. I. — Captains — Robert L. Ela, of Concord.
Wounded severely Aug. 29, 1862. Wounded July 30, 1864. Re-mustered
Captain second term three years. Promoted to Major June 1, 1865.
Robert II. Potter, of Concord.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Thomas T. Moore, of Concord.
Killed at Bull Run Aug. 29, 1862.
Charles J. Brown of Epsom.
Honorably discharged Nov. 4, 1864.
Robert II. Potter, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain June 1, 1865
SIXTH REGIMENT. 305
Second Lieuts. — Hubbard T. Dudley, of Concord.
Resigned June 30, 1862.
Charles J. Brown, of Epsom.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 1, 1862.
Adam K. Tilton, of Canterbury.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 1, 1863.
Joseph M. Shephard, of Gilmanton.
Killed in action June 9. 1864.
Prescgtt Hall, of Canterbury.
Honorably discharged Dec. 5, 1864.
Henry K. "Whi taker, of Goshen.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Co. K Captains — Ebenezer H. Converse, of Rindge.
Resigned April 24, 1862.
David A. Titcomb, of Seabrook.
Resigned Dec. 22, 1862.
Theodore Hanscom, of Jaffrey.
Discharged Nov. 26, 1864.
Frederick P. -Hardy, of Groton.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Jonas Cutting, of New Ipswich.
Resigned April 24, 1862.
Charles L. Fuller, of Peterborough.
Wounded Aug. 29, 1862. Died of wounds Sept. 2, 1862.
Charles F. Winch, of Peterborough.
Honorably discharged April 20, 1864.
John A. Platts, of Fitzwilliam.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Chas. L. Fuller, of Peterborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 28, 1862.
Timothy K. Ames, of Peterborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. Ang. 5, 1862.
Charles F. Winch, of Peterborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 20, 1862.
Charles H. Hull, of ~New Ipswich.
Resigned Jan. 13, 1863.
John H. Varney, of Milton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 1, 1864
George W. Osgood, of Nelson.
^Promoted to First Lieut. July 3, 1864.
Addison G. Harmon, of Madison.
Mustered out July 17, 1865.
306 THE GREAT REBELLION.
COLONEL NELSON CONVERSE.
Colonel Kelson Converse resides ^t Marlborough
in Cheshire County. lie has held several commissions
in the State militia, running through a long term of
years. In 1860, when a reorganization of the militia
was made throughout the State. Colonel Converse was
O
appointed Major General of the Third Division. In
October, 1861, it was determined to raise the Sixth
Regiment, and that it should rendezvous at Keene.
Captain Mack, of the regular army, a native of Cheshire
County, was appointed Colonel, and Kelson Converse,
Lieut. Colonel, and was to take the general charge of
raising the regiment and making it ready for the field.
He was very active and efficient in the performance of
this trust, and his extensive- aquaintance enabled him
to enlist the requisite number of men in a very short
time. It was finally found that Captain Mack would
not be relieved from the position he held in the regular
army by the War Department, and Lieut. Colonel Con
verse was promoted to Colonel on the 26th of October.
He went to the seat of war with his regiment, and
commanded it until the 8th of March, 1862, when, in con
sequence of ill health, he resigned. While he command
ed the regiment its duties were mostly in camp, at
Ilatteras Inlet, North Carolina. It was not called into
action at all until after Colonel Converse had resigned.
GENERAL SIMON G. GRIFFIN.
General Griffin was born at Kelson, Cheshire County,
Kew Hampshire, on the 9th of August, 1824. He re
ceived a thorough academical education, and for several
years was engaged in teaching. While thus engaged
he represented his native town two years in the popular
branch of the Kew Hampshire legislature. He com-
SIXTH REGIMENT. 307
menced the study of law with Alvah Wood, of Exeter,
continued with Messrs. Flint & Bryant, of Concord, was
admitted to the bar in Merrimack County in the autumn
of 1860, and immediately commenced practice at Con
cord. "When news came of the assault on Fort Sumter,
Gen. Griffin at once turned his attention to military
affairs and commenced the study of military tactics.
He and a number of other young men formed a com
pany, and at its organization he was chosen its Captain
and commissioned by Governor Goodwin. This com
pany, assisted by citizens of Concord, procured Sharpe's
breech-loading rifles, and afterward became the famous
Company B, of the Second Regiment, New Hampshire
Volunteers, noted for its efficiency as skirmishers and
sharpshooters. He commanded the Company during
the first battle of Bull Run, on the 21st of July, 1861.
In October, 1861, Capt. Griffin was promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel, and transferred to the Sixth New
Hampshire Regiment, which was then being enlisted.
In March, 1862, Colonel Converse resigned, and the
command of the regiment devolved upon Lieut. Col.
Griffin. On the 7th of April he commanded an expedi
tion composed of six hundred men, assisted by five gun
boats from the Navy, to Elizabeth City, North Carolina,
which resulted in the capture of seventy-four prisoners,
three hundred and fifty stand of arms, ammunition and
other property, the killing of one rebel and the wound
ing of two others in the attack, and the breaking up of
a rebel rendezvous at that place. He also commanded
the regiment at the battle of Camden, N. C., on the
19th of April, where by its conduct it won a good repu
tation as a fighting regiment, and was permitted, in
general orders, to inscribe " Camden, April 19, 1862,"
upon its colors. On the 22d of April Lieut. Colonel
Griffin was commissioned Colonel of the Sixth Regi
ment. He commanded the regiment at the second battle
308 THE GREAT REBELLION.
of Bull Bun, on the 29th of August, 1862, and in the
battle of Chantilly, on the 1st of September, on both of
which occasions the regiment acted with«great bravery.
At the battle of Antietam, on the 17th of September,
Col. Griffin, with his regiment and the Second Mary
land, charged the stone bridge across Antietam creek,
and although checked at first by the murderous fire of
the enemy, succeeded in carrying the bridge, and the
Sixth, with Col. Griffin at its head, was the first to form
its line on the height beyond. He commanded his regi
ment at the battle of Fredericksburg, on the 13th of
December, where it lost seventy-five men killed and
wounded, being about one-third of its entire strength.
On the 20th of May, 1863, Col. Griffin was assigned
permanently to the command of the First Brigade,
Second Division, Ninth Army Corps. Early in June
the brigade went, under command of Col. Griffin, to
the assistance of Gen. Grant in his operations against
Vicksburg, and participated in its capture. He was
also with his command in the campaign of Gen. Sher
man against Gen. Joe Johnston, and the capture of the
city of Jackson, Miss., in July, where he was in charge
of the Ninth Corps, having three brigades under his
command. In August the Corps returned to Kentucky,
and a part of it immediately proceeded across the Cum
berland Mountains to join Gen. Burnside in his cam
paign in East Tennessee, Col. Griffin being in command
of the Second Division of the Ninth Army Corps. In
October, Col. Griffin was sent by Gen. Burnside to bring
forward the remainder of the Ninth Corps, which had
been left in Kentucky, but was finally assigned to the
command of Camp Nelson, at that time a large and
important post, as the rendezvous of the Tennessee
refugees, to the number of about nine thousand, who
were there formed into regiments.
In the spring of 1864 the Ninth Corps was re-organ-
SIXTH REGIMENT. 309
zed at Annapolis, Md., and Col. Griffin was assigned
to the command of the Second Brigade, Second Di
vision, composed of the Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh New
Hampshire, the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Maine,
and the Seventeenth Vermont regiments. He com
manded his brigade in the battle of the Wilderness,
May 6th, 1864, and also in the battle of Spottsylvania
Court House, on the 12th, in the latter of which it saved
Gen. Hancock's Corps from being routed. It was in
this battle that Col. Griffin acted with such consummate
skill and gallantry as to win a Brigadier General's
commission, on the recommendation of Gen. Grant.
He was in command of his brigade at the battles of
North Anna River, May 20th and 21st, Ptolopotamy
Creek, May 31st, Bethesda Church, June 2d, and Cold
Harbor, June 3d.
On the night of the 16th of June General. Griffin,
in command of his own and Gen. Curtin's brigade,
made an adroit and successful attack on the enemy's
intrenched lines in front of Petersburg, carrying their
works for a mile in extent, capturing nearly one
thousand prisoners, besides four pieces of artillery,
caissons and horses, more than a thousand stand of
small arms and a quantity of ammunition. Gen. Pot
ter, commanding the division, entrusted the whole
planning and execution of this attack to Gen. Griffin,
and most skilfully did he carry out his part of it. He
had made a wide breach in the enemy's lines, and there
was nothing to prevent an advance into the city, had
supports come up in time. But the other corps were
not ready to advance, and when, at three o'clock in the
afternoon, the First and Third Divisions attacked, the
enemy was prepared to meet them, and they were
repulsed with immense slaughter. Gen. Griffin com
manded his brigade in the assault on the " Mine,"
July 30th, at the battle of the Weldon Railroad, on
310 THE GREAT REBELLION,
the 20th of August, the hattle of Poplar Spring Church,
on the 30th of September, and at the battle of Hatcher's
Kun, on the 27th of October.
On the Second of April, 1865, Gen. Griffin arranged
and led the assault on the enemy's lines at " Fort Hell,"
on the part of the Second Division, Ninth Army Corps,
which gave us Petersburg and Richmond. At the
commencement of the action Gen. Potter, commanding
the Division, was severely wounded, and was succeeded
by Gen. Griffin, who exhibited throughout the greatest
activity, bravery and skill. For "gallant conduct "in
this battle he was breveted a Major General of IT. S.
Volunteers — a brevet that was worth something, for
it was won sword in hand, on one of the most bloody
fields of the entire war. He retained command of the
Division and joined with the Corps in the pursuit and
capture of Gen. Lee's army. He returned with the
Division to Alexandria, and was mustered out of the
United States service in September, 1865. His service
was constantly at the front, and never, during the whole
war, did the troops of his command make a march or
come under fire in a single instance that he was not
present to command them in person.
After returning home, Gen. Griffin was offered by
the government a position as field officer in one of the
old regiments, and his appointment was made out and
sent to him; but after so thorough an experience of
the hardships and privations of the field, and after
the war was over and there being no real call of his
country for his services, he preferred the quiet and
enjoyment of home, and declined the offer. Subsequent
ly Gen. Griffin settled in Keene, and in 1866 was elected
in that town to a seat in the popular branch of the
Legislature, was re-enlisted in 1867 and 1868, and
served both of the last two years as Speaker of the
House. Few men who entered the army from any
SIXTH REGIMENT. * 311
State can show a more honorable record in the field
than that made by Major General Simon G. Griffin.
COLONEL PHIN P. BIXBY.
Colonel Bixby is a native of New Hampshire. When
the war broke out, in 1861, he was engaged in trade at
Concord, as a member of the firm of Webster & Bixby,
doing a thriving business. But he felt that his country
had claims upon him and needed his services, and de
termined to abandon his peaceful pursuits and enlist for
the war in some capacity. He tendered his services to
the Governor, and on the 30th of November, 1861, was
commissioned Adjutant of the Sixth Regiment, New
Hampshire Volunteers. He performed the duties of
this position to general acceptance. He was in the
second battle of Bull Run, on the 29th of August,
1862, was wounded, taken prisoner and carried to Libby
Prison, Richmond, where he was kept five or six weeks,
and then exchanged, re-joined his regiment about the
middle of October, on the 15th of which month, Major
Dort having resigned, he was commissioned Major
in his place. Major Bixby was again wounded on the
15th of July, 1864, in front of Petersburg, in conse
quence of which he was absent from his regiment about
three months, during wrhich time, on the 28th of July,
1864, he was promoted to Lieut. Colonel, in place of
Lieut. Colonel Pearson, killed at North Anna River. He
was most of the time in command of his regiment, until
the last battle of Petersburg, when he was in command
of a brigade. Gen. Potter was wounded, Gen. Griffin
took command of the Division and Col. Bixby succeeded
to the command of the brigade, which position he held
until after the surrender of Lee. After the promotion
of Col. Griffin, Lieut. Colonel Bixby was promoted to
Colonel, on the 21st of February, 1865. He was also
312 • THE GREAT REBELLION.
appointed Colonel of United States Volunteers, by
brevet, " for gallant and highly meritorious conduct in
the assault before Petersburg, Va., to date from April 2,
1865." He continued with and commanded his regi
ment until the 17th of July, 1865, when he was mustered
out with it. He was with his regiment in all its hard
marches and battles from the date of his first commission
until the close of the war, except during the three
months that he was laid up with wounds received in
front of Petersburg. After the close of the war Col.
Bixby returned home, and is now in business a,t Con
cord, with his old partner, Mr. Webster. He was a
brave soldier, and always at his post ready for duty.
LIEUT. COLONEL HENRY H. PEARSON.
Lieut. Colonel Pearson was born at Newport, HI., on
the 26th of February, 1840. In 1854 he removed with
his family to Bloomington, and soon after determined,
if possible, to obtain a liberal education. His father
being in moderate circumstances, young Pearson went
resolutely to work in a lumber yard at Lincoln, on the
St. Louis Railroad, in order to obtain* means to meet the
expenses of a preparatory college course. He had a
great passion for study and books of almost all kinds,
and more especially biographies and history. In 1860
he came to Exeter and entered Phillips Academy,
where he was soon distinguished as a close, faithful
and able scholar. His dignified deportment, uniform
good nature and forbearance gained for him the good
will and respect of his instructors and associates. All
who knew him saw that he had a purpose; that his
mind was filled with noble aspirations, and that he
promised to signalize himself in whatever pursuit in life
he might adopt.
On the breaking out of the rebellion, in April, 1861,
SIXTH REGIMENT. 313
young Pearson was fired with true military ardor and
patriotism, and determined to enlist and fight the battles
of his country against treason and rebellion. He at
once left the academy and started for the seat of war,
and walked all the way from Baltimore to Washington,
where he at once joined a miliary company, with which
he served until after the first disastrous battle of Bull
Run. He then returned to Exeter, and in the autumn
of 1861 was commissioned Captain by Gov. Berry, and
set himself vigorously at work to raise a company, at
the same time reading the best histories he could obtain
of the military campaigns of Napoleon, and making
plans of his great battles. He was most delighted with
the movements on the field of Waterloo, and drew
diagrams of them. The war reports of McClellan,
Mordecai and Delafield were read by him with great
interest, and digested and remembered. In order to
raise his company he appointed war meetings in towns
in the neighborhood of Exeter, and addressed the peo
ple with modesty, simplicity and marked effect. On
the 22d of November he left Exeter, with nearly a full
company, for Keene, and joined the Sixth Regiment,
then being organized there. His company was as
signed its proper place in the line, and lettered C.
Soon after, and before leaving the State with his regi
ment, the people of Exeter presented Captain Pearson
with a handsome sword and other substantial testimo
nials of their regard and esteem.
Tn April, 1862, he led his company against the enemy
at Camden, K C., and also at Bull Run, on the 29th
of August, on both of which occasions he behaved with
great coolness and bravery, and commanded his com
pany with consummate tact and skill. He afterward
wrote interesting sketches of these two battles arid
made diagrams to accompany them, all of which were
published. These papers disclosed keen discrimination
314 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and a remarkable knowledge of the principal military
movements in those battles. At Chantilly, South
Mountain and Fredericksburg the Sixth was in the
thickest of the contest, and afterward in June and July,
1863, at Vicksburg, and Jackson, Mississippi, took a
prominent part, on all of which occasions Capt. Pearson
distinguished himself for coolness and gallantry. When
in December, 1863, the men of the Sixth Regiment
re-enlisted for a second term, Capt. Pearson, for meri
torious conduct, was promoted to Lieut. Colonel of his
regiment. He went into the great campaign of 1864
with confidence and zeal. In the battle of the Wilder
ness he led his men with discretion and bravery. On
the 26th of May, at North Anna River, about twelve
miles from Richmond, while reconnoitering the move
ments and position of the enemy with a field glass, he
was shot by a sharpshooter, the ball entering his fore
head. He never spoke afterward and died in a few
hours.
Lieut. Colonel Pearson was a man of fine natural
ability, good education, of commanding figure and man
ner; kind and attentive to the wants of his men;
always ready to share with them his blanket and last
crust, which with his coolness and bravery, gained for
him the love and respect of all. He controlled his men
by his force of character rather than by any established
rules of discipline. He was in every battle where his
regiment was engaged up to the time of his death. By
his superior officers and all others he was admitted to
be the ablest and most accomplished officer of his rank
in the Ninth Army Corps, and there was no one of any
rank who enjoyed more universal respect and esteem, or
whose death would have been more sincerely lamented,
not only on account of his value as an officer but his
worth as a man and friend.
SIXTH REGIMENT. 315
Soon after the arrival of the Sixth "Regiment at,
Washington it was assigned to Gen. Burnside's Division
and proceeded to Ilatteras Inlet, North Carolina, arriv
ing there on the 13th of January, 1862, amidst a most
terrific storm. The storm continued eight days, during
which it was impossible to land the troops or proceed
to any other destination. The Sixth finally disembarked
at Ilatteras Inlet, and went into camp of instruction,
with the Eleventh Connecticut, Eighty-ninth New York,
Forty-eighth Pennsylvania, and Ninth New York —
Hawkins' Zouaves — reporting to Brigadier General
Williams, commanding post and brigade. Here the
regiment was attacked with a malignant fever, which
with measles, that assumed a virulent type, in con
sequence of the removal of the regiment while the
disease was in progress, carried off sixty men in as
many days. The regiment embarked to Roanoke Island,
where it arrived on the 2d of March, and went into
camp as a part of the garrison of that post, under
Colonel Rush C. Hawkins, as brigade and post com
mander. On the 8th Colonel Converse resigned his
commission, and Lieut. Colonel Griffin assumed com
mand of the regiment.
On the 7th of April four companies of the Sixth,
with two companies of the Ninth New York Regiment,
in all about six hundred men, under command of Lieut.
Colonel Griffin, were sent to break up an encampment
of rebels at Elizabeth City, N. C., and if possible cap
ture the recruits. The expedition consisted of five
gunboats and a steamer to convey the troops. The
expedition left Roanoke Island at night, and was to
make the attack at daylight the next morning. In the
attack one rebel was killed, two wounded and seventy-
four made prisoners, the remainder taking to the woods
upon the first appearance of the Union forces. Three
316 THE GREAT REBELLION.
hundred and fifty stand of arms, and a quantity of
ammunition and public property, were taken, and the
rendezvous broken up. •
On the 19th of April, the Sixth with its brigade was
in the buttle of Cainden, N. C. At a critical moment,
after other regiments in the brigade had been repulsed
by the enemy, the Sixth was ordered to advance and
drive the rebels from the wroods, which they occupied
beyond an open field. The regiment moved forward in
gallant style in line of battle, with colors flying, and
immediately drew the fire of the enemy ; a shell swept
through the lines, near the colors, killing Curtis Flan
ders, of Co. I, and wounding one other ; but the regi
ment moved steadily on without breaking its lines or
firing a shot. When within musket range it halted and
poured in a terrific volley, with all the coolness and pre
cision of regular troops. The enemy broke and fled,
without firing a shot. By its good conduct on this
occasion the regiment established a character as a fight
ing regiment, and was permitted, in general orders, to
inscribe "Camden, April 19, 1862," upon its colors.
The loss of the Sixth in this affair was one man killed
and two wounded. The success of this expedition was
the occasion of a congratulatory and complimentary
order from Gen. Burnside, in command of the Depart
ment of North Carolina. Congratulatory orders were
also received from Gen. Reno, commanding the expe
dition, and Gov. Berry, of New Hampshire.
On the 22d of April, Lieut. Colonel Griffin was com
missioned Colonel; Major Scott was promoted to Lieut.
Colonel, and Capt. 0. G. Dort, of campany E, to
Major, by the choice of the officers of the regiment.
On the 18th of June the regiment left Roanoke Island,
joined Burnside's expedition at Newbern, and was
assigned to Colonel Amory's brigade, of General Fos
ter's division. While at Roanoke Island the Sixth
SIXTH REGIMENT. 317
received such instruction in tactics and discipline as
made it afterward one of the most efficient and reliable
regiments in the service. When it arrived at Newbern
its proficiency in drill and splendid appearance as a body
of troops called forth the encomiums of general officers,
and other regiments stationed there.
On the 2d of July the Sixth, with other regiments,
was ordered to proceed to the peninsula, in Virginia,
to join Gen. McClellan, who was retreating before Lee.
They embarked and proceeded to Newport News, and
instead of going up the James, to the assistance of
McClellan, they disembarked at this point on the 10th,
and went into camp. While in this encampment the
Ninth Corps was organized, with General Burnside as
its corps and department commander, and the Sixth
was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division.
On the 2d of August the Second Division, under
General Reno, embarked on board transports, and
proceeded up Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River,
to Aquia Creek, where it disembarked, and after halt
ing some days at Fredericksburg, marched to Culpeper
Court House, and joined the army of General Pope.
The disastrous campaign which followed was one of
peculiar hardship and trial, and evinced the courage
and endurance for which the Sixth was remarkable.
On the 29th of August the retreating army found itself
confronting the whole rebel force for the second time
since the war began, on the field of Bull Run. At
three o'clock on the afternoon of that day, the first
brigade of Reno's Division was brought up, and ordered
to attack the enemy and drive them from the woods
in which they were massed. The brigade was formed
with the Second Maryland on the right, the Sixth New
Hampshire in the center, and the Forty-eighth Penn
sylvania on the left, and moved forward in line of battle.
Immediately upon entering the woods the command
318 THE GREAT REBELLION.
was received with a sharp and murderous fire, under
which, however, the Sixth, and Second Maryland
pressed steadily forward; but the Forty-eighth Penn
sylvania gave ground to the right, and fell behind the
Sixth New Hampshire. The regiment pushed forward
in the most resolute manner, driving the enemy before
them, keeping its line perfect, not a man leaving the
ranks, not even to care for wounded or dead. The
regiment crossed a railroad cut, and advancing one or
two hundred yards beyond, it found itself assailed on
every side. The wood was very thick, and amid the
smoke of battle nothing could be discerned more than
a few yards. Supposing the left to be supported and
protected by others of our own troops, it was believed
that the fire from the left and rear must be from friends.
To ascertain the true state of the case, Colonel Griffin
seized the colors, and advanced in that direction, waving
them in the air. He was met by a murderous fire,
which proved that there were no friends of the stars
and stripes in that direction. Finding that his regiment
would be sacrificed unless withdrawn immediately, the
Colonel ordered a retreat, and brought off his men
with all possible dispatch. Of four hundred and fifty
officers and men who went into this engagement, thirty-
two were killed, one hundred and ten wounded, and
sixty-eight were missing; making a total of two hun
dred and ten, or nearly one-half of the whole number
present for duty. Of the missing nearly all were either
killed or wounded, and the wounded were all captured,
as the enemy occupied the ground after the fight. Of
twenty officers present on that day, five were killed,
six wounded and two captured. Among the killed
were Lieutenents Fuller, Ames, Moore, Prescott and
Muchmore, Captains Pearson and Ela, and Lieutenants
Hayes, Adams, Jackman and Titcomb were wounded,
and Adjutant Bixby and Lieutenant Emerson made
SIXTH REGIMENT. 319
prisoners. The next day the Ninth Corps was again
put into action on the left of the line, holding the
enemy in check, and were the last to leave the field,
which they did just before midnight, August 30th, and
marched in a drenching rain to Centerville, where it
arrived next morning, the army having made a stand
there to cover the trains.
On the 1st of September the enemy made an attack
at Chantilly, when a sharp engagement ensued, which
resulted in his repulse. In this the Sixth was actively
engaged and did good service. Advancing over a ridge
of ground to support troops already engaged, they met
the Fiftieth Pennsylvania just breaking and flying in
confusion. Seeing the New Hampshire boys moving
gallantly forward to their assistance, in a well formed
line of battle, with colors flying, the Pennsylvania
troops rallied promptly, and, forming on the right of
the Sixth, returned bravely to the attack. The two
regiments united, and, protected by a rail fence on the
edge of a corn field, repulsed the attack of the enemy in
that quarter, and held them in check until night put an
end to the contest. During that night and the next day
the army fell back to the defense of Washington, and
the Ninth Corps encamped at Alexandria. While here
the men were rested and supplied with needed clothing
and camp and garrison equipage.
Lee and Jackson having crossed the Potomac, the
army moved out from Washington under General Mc-
Clellan, to repel the invasion. The Sixth Regiment
moved with its brigade on the 7th of September^ and
passing through Frederick and Middletown, was present
at the battle of South Mountain on the 13th, in which
the division was commanded by General Sturgis, was
used as support, and was but slightly engaged. The
division occupied the ground won during the fight and
the next day moved forward toward Antietam.
320 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
•
On the morning of the 17th of September, 1862, the
troops were under arms at daybreak, and very soon
afterward the Ninth Corps moved forward to attack the
enemy on the extreme left. The attempt to carry the
Stone Bridge across Antietam Creek, by the Eleventh
Connecticut and other regiments, having failed, Stur-
gis' division was brought up and ordered to take tho
bridge at all hazards, and seize the bights beyond.
The regiments selected to make this desperate charge
were the Sixth New Hampshire and Second Maryland.
The stream was not fordable at that point, and the road
occupied by the Union troops, which led to the bridge,
came down to the Creek, nearly three hundred yards
below the bridge, then turned at right angles, and ran
along the bank of the stream with only the narrow
stream between it and the enemy, then turned again at
right angles to cross the bridge. The opposite bank
was a steep, high bluff, covered on its top and sides with
forest trees. Behind these trees, and behind barricades
of stones and of logs, the enemy was strongly posted,
their fire covering every inch of ground over which our
troops must pass to reach the bridge. The two regi
ments were formed in the field below where the road
came down to the creek, some sixty or seventy rods
below the bridge, directly under the fire of the concealed
enemy. The remainder of the brigade lay still further
down the stream, under cover of fences and corn fields,
too far away to support promptly the attacking column,
composed as it was of two small regiments, numbering
about one hundred and fifty men each. But the order
of General Sturgis was to charge at once with the regi
ments formed by the flank, side by side. The regiments
fixed bayonets and moved at the double quick, passing
SIXTH REGIMENT. 321
through a narrow opening in a strong chestnut fence,
which there was not time to remove, and charged in the
most gallant manner directly up the road toward the
bridge. As the attacking party, led by Colonel Griffin,
debouched from the field into the road, the enemy from
their intrenched position redoubled the fury of their
fire, sweeping the head of the column with murderous
effect. Such sweeping destruction of course checked
the advanced columns, but the men sheltered themselves
behind fences, logs, and whatever cover they could find,
and bravely held the ground already gained, without
retreating or giving way an inch. Other troops were
brought up and put in position behind a bluff, directly
front of the bridge, whence such a terrible fire of mus
ketry was poured upon the enemy that they abandoned
their position and fled. Four regiments now advaced
across the bridge without opposition, and the Sixth was
the first to advance up the bluff beyond, and from its
line on the top of the ridge, where it received a shower
of shot and shell from the rebel batteries in the distance.
The Ninth Corps crossed the creek, formed its lines and
advanced to attack the rebel right. During this move
ment, which was at first successful, some of the troops
advanced as far as the village of Sharpsburg itself.
The Sixth having suffered severely in the early part of
the day, was held in reserve. The corps was finally
driven back just in advance of the brigade, and that
night the regiment was again put into the front line, to
perform picket duty. In this most severe battle the
Sixth behaved with great gallantry, and was highly
complimented by General Burnside. It suffered a loss
of nearly one-fifth of its whole number present, in killed
and wounded. A few days after the battle the whole
corps passed over Maryland Heights, and encamped in
Pleasant Valley, where it remained for several weeks.
On the 4th of October Lieut, Colonel Scott, who had
322 THE GREAT REBELLION.
been absent, sick, since the regiment left Newport News,
resigned, and Captain Henry- H. Pearson, of Company
C, was promoted to fill the position. Major Dort also
resigned, and Adjutant Bixby, who had been ex-
ubanged and rejoined the regiment, was promoted to
Major.
On the 27th of October the army moved from Pleasant
Valley, crossed the Potomac by pontoon bridges at
Berlin, took up its line of March up the valley east of
Blue Ridge, with Richmond for its objective point.
Near Waterloo Bridge, the enemy appeared on the
right flank, and Sturgis' division was sent out to hold
them in check. Considerable skirmishing ensued, in
which the regiment was engaged, but suffered no loss.
On the 19th of November the army arrived at Fal-
mouth, in front of Fredericksburg, and encamped on
high ground north of the Phillips house.
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
On the 12th of December a part of the army crossed
the river and occupied the city of Fredericksburg. The
Ninth Corps bivouacked in the streets that night. The
bloody assault upon the enemy's works commenced
about noon on the 13th. About one o'clock, p. M., the
Sixth Regiment advanced with its brigade under a
shower of shot and shell, and entering the field to the
right of the railroad, moved steadily up the slope
against the enemy's works. That slope was completely
swept by the rebel musketry and artillery fire, and in
some places the ground was already covered with dead
and wounded; yet nothing could exceed the coolness
and gallantry with which the regiment advanced to the
charge. Desperate and repeated attempts were made to
advance over the crest and attack the enemy in their
works, but so destructive was the fire immediately
SIXTH REGIMENT. 323
upon reaching the brow of the hill, so perfect was the
knowledge of the enemy of every movement of the
Union troops, and so completely had the rebels the com
mand of the ground, that it was found to be impossible
to get at them. Three regiments immediately on the
right of the Sixth, broke and fled, leaving a large gap,
yet not a man of this regiment left his position or
faltered for a moment. This perilous position was held
until dark, when the line was withdrawn and took shel
ter in the town, leaving only a line of pickets to hold
the crest. When the army withdrew across the river
the Sixth was one of the last regiments to retire. In
this engagement the regiment suffered a loss of seventy-
five men, or about one-third of the number that went
into the action, killed and wounded.
Early in February, 1863, the Sixth regiment was
transferred, along with its corps, to Newport News,
where they had good quarters, were supplied with cloth
ing, camp and garrison equipage, a thorough system
of drill was adopted, and the condition of the troops
was brought up to the highest state of perfection. On
the 18th of March Gen. Dix, commanding the Depart
ment, reviewed the whole corps. The display was one
of the most brilliant ones evt-r seen in this country.
General Burnside having been ordered to the Depart
ment of the Ohio, the Ninth Corps was transferred to
Kentucky at his request, and proceeded to Cincinnati
and thence the Sixth Regiment,, with its brigade was sent
to Lexington, which place it reached on the first of April,
and after encamping there for a few days, marched to
"Winchester. From Winchester it proceeded to Rich
mond on the 18th ; to Paint Lick Creek on the 3d of
May, and to Lancaster on the 10th. Here it remained
until the 23d, encamped, enjoying the pure, fresh air
and fragrant fields of the "Blue Grass Region " of
,324 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Kentucky, the finest country the soldiers had ever seen.
On the 30th of May Gen. James Nagle resigned, and
Col. Griffin was permanently assigned to* the command
of the brigade, it being the First Brigade, Second
Division, Ninth Army Corps. The brigade consisted
of the Sixth and Ninth New Hampshire, Second Mary
land, Forty-eighth Pennsylvania, and Seventh and
Twelfth Rhode Island Regiments.
The rebel General Joseph E. Johnston, having collect
ed an army at Jackson, Mississippi, and advanced to
threaten General Grant's rear, General William T.
Sherman was sent out with a force to watch and con
front him. Col. Griffin's brigade was ordered to report
to General Sherman, and an intrenched line was formed
along Oak Ridge, guarding the roads across Big Black
river. A few days later the whole corps joined General
Sherman, and a second intrenched line was formed in
rear of the first, extending from Hayne's and Snyder's
bluffs, through Milldale, and along the high ground
east of Vicksburg.
General Pemberton surrendered the city of Vicksburg
to General Grant, on the 4th of July, 1863, and the
same day nearly the whole of Grant's and Sherman's
armies moved out to meet Johntson, encamping that
night near the Big Black. Johnston, hearing of Pem-
berton's surrender, fell back upon Jackson, closely
pursued by Sherman. The weather was extremely
hot, even for that climate, the streams were dry, and the
men suffered severely from the oppressive heat and the
want of water. Arriving at Jackson, July 10th, the
enemy seemed disposed to defend the town. An attack
was immediately made by the Ninth Corps, which re
sulted in driving him behind his intrenchments. The
place was invested arid dispositions made for the final
assault. Early on the morning of the 13th of July,
while Colonel Griffin was in charge of the Ninth Corps,
SIXTH REGIMENT. 325
having three brigades under his command, the enemy
made a sudden and furious attack, with a view to break
ing the Union lines ; but they were received with
much coolness and steadiness by the Sixth New Hamp
shire, who deliberately poured upon them a most
destructive fire, and they were repulsed with great
slaughter. On the morning of the 16th the Sixth was
sent out at two o'clock, to make a reconnoissance,
when it was discovered that the rebels had evacuated
the place, and our troops took possession of the town.
After destroying the public property the army, on the
20th of July, commenced its march to return to
Vicksburg.
On the 23d the Sixth reached its old camp at Milldale,
where the men inhaled the deadly malaria of the
swamps of Yazoo, whose very name signifies in the
Indian tongue, the " River of Death." The effects
of that climate upon the regiment and upon the whole
corps were more disastrous than that of the severest
battle. Nearly all were attacked with malarial fever,
chills and fever, congestive chills, or some disorder
incident to that climate, and large numbers of them
died. On the 5th of August the regiment embarked
with its brigade on board transports and proceeded up
the river to Cairo, and thence by rail to Cincinnati,
where it arrived on the 20th. The sickness that pre
vailed on board the transports was terrible, and almost
universal. Almost every night, as the troops " lay up "
on account of low water and the consequent danger
from sand bars, a little party would be seen with lan
terns, sadly making its way on shore to bury some
comrade who had fallen a victim to disease. Lieut.
Eli Wentworth, Regimental Quartermaster, was one
of the victims, he having died at Milldale on the 18th
of July, while the regiment was absent at Jackson.
Halting a few days at Covington, it proceeded by rail
326 THE GREAT REBELLION.
to Nicholasville, and encamped near Camp Nelson, offi
cers and men still suffering terribly from the effects
of that southern climate. Large numbers were sent
to the hospitals, and many died.
On the 9th of September the brigade was divided, and
a part of the troops were sent over the Cumberland
mountains to join General Burnside in East Tennessee,
while the others remained in Kentucky. Col. Griffin
proceeded to East Tennessee, in command of the divis
ion. The Sixth Regiment was ordered to Frankfort, to
do provost duty, where it remained about two weeks,
and was then sent to Russellville, to protect the inhabit
ants from the enemy's cavalry, who were constantly
making incursions into the Southern portion of the
State. While here the regiment did valuable service,
scouting and chasing guerillas from the country, seizing
the horses and mules of well known rebels, and using
them for that purpose. Lieut. Colonel Pearson was
commander of the post and Major Bixby was in com
mand of the regiment.
Colonel Griffin having been placed in command of
Camp Nelson, a large and important post, the Sixth was
on the 25th of October ordered there to do provost duty
in connection with other regiments. While here the
regiment re-enlisted for another term of three years, or
during the war. The men re-enlisted in such numbers
as to secure for themselves a veteran organization of ten
companies, while many of the other regiments were
reduced to mere battalions of two or more companies.
The regiment left Camp Nelson on the 16th of January,
1864, for New Hampshire, on a thirty days' veteran
furlough, leaving the recruits and those who did not
re-enlist, under the command of Captain S. G. Goodwin,
assisted by Captain Crossfield, Adjutant Smith, Ass't
Surgeon Noyes and Chaplain Dore. At Covington
Borne days were spent in making out the re-enlistment
SIXTH REGIMENT. 327
papers, and on the 20th of January, two hundred and
eighty-eight enlisted men, or more than three-fourths of
the whole number who had served the required length
of time, were re-mustered into the United States service
as veterans. The regiment arrived at Keene — the place
of its original rendezvous — on the 28th, where the citi
zens gave the men a cordial public reception and supper,
and provided them with comfortable quarters in the
town hall. The next day the regiment went to Concord,
where it received another splendid ovation — a procession,
and dinner in Phenix Hall. The men were furloughed
and went to their respective homes. They re-assembled
at Concord on the 29th of February, but were immedi
ately given ten days extra, by order of the Secretary of
War. On the 10th of March the men again assembled
at Concord, under orders to return to the Department
of the Ohio, and took cars for the west. Arriving at
Manchester, Colonel Griffin received a telegraphic dis
patch from the Secretary of War, ordering the regiment
back to camp; to await further orders. It returned to
Concord and remained there in camp until the 18th,
when it proceeded, in compliance with orders, to join
the Ninth Army Corps, which was then re-assembling
at Annapolis, -Maryland.
At Annapolis the recruits were brought forward from
Camp Nelson and assigned to companies with the
veterans, a thorough system of drill and discipline was
instituted, new arms were furnished the men, and the
regiment was brought up to a high standard, both as
regarded numbers and effectiveness. Upon the re
organization of the Ninth Corps Colonel Griffin was
assigned to the command of the Second Brigade, Second
Division, composed of the Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh
New Hampshire, Thirty-first and Thirty-second' Maine,
and Seventeenth Vermont Regiments, leaving the Sixth
328 THE GREAT REBELLION.
again under command of Lieut. Colonel Pearson, one
of the best officers of his rank in the service.
On the 23d of April the Corps joined the Army or
the Potomac, under General Grant. Passing through
Washington it was reviewed by President Lincoln, from
the balcony of Wil lard's Hotel. After two days spent
at Alexandria, procuring supplies and transportation,
the Corps again moved on, by way of Fairfax Court
House, and joined the Army of the Potomac at the
Rapidau, and on the 5th of May crossed the river at
Germania Ford, and bivouacked on the field, in rear
of Sedgwick's Corps, which had been engaged during
the day.
At two o'clock on the morning of the 6th, the troops
were in motion, and moved to attack the enemy in the
direction of " Parker's Store." At daylight Griffin's
brigade was formed for attack, with the Sixth deployed
as skirmishers, as usual, and advanced about one mile,
when the enemy was met in force, and a desultory fire
kept up during the greater part of the forenoon, without
any advantage being gained on either side. About
eleven o'clock orders were received to move by the
flank, with a view to assist in repelling an advance of
the enemy on the left of the corps. The movement
was made with much difficulty through a dense thicket.
The line of the brigade was formed behind those of
other brigades of the same corps, who were holding
the ground, but making no attempt to advance. Those
brigades were lying down. General Burn side himself
was present, and gave the order, " Let Griffin attack."
The brigade advanced promptly, in line of battle, at
the command, and preseing directly over those who
were lying down, charged along the whole line. The
other brigades rose up and followed, shouting and
cheering. The Sixth fixed bayonets and dashed upon
the rebels in the most gallant manner, breaking their
SIXTH REGIMENT. 329
line and capturing seven commissioned officers and a
hundred and six men. Along the whole line of this
brigade the attack was successful, and the rebel line
was rapidly giving way, but the line to the left did not
advance, thus giving the enemy time and opportunity
to turn their whole attention to this break in their line.
Bringing up re-enforcements, and charging in their
turn, the line was compelled to recede a short distance,-
but held the ground of their original lines, and in
trenched for the night. The Corps was withdrawn the
next day and massed in rear of the Lacy House. The
loss of the regiment in this engagement was one officer
and forty-four men killed and wounded.
On the 12th of May occurred the general engagement
known as the battle of Spottsylvania Court House/
Orders had been given to attack at four o'clock in the
morning. The Ninth Corps held the extreme left of
the line of the army, and was to advance to the right as
well as to the front, and unite with Hancock's Second
Corps. At the appointed time the corps moved off to
the right in column by brigades — Griffin's brigade lead
ing, the Sixth Eegiment occupying the left center of the
brigade line. Hearing the roar of Hancock's guns,
Griffin made for the point whence the sound proceeded.
Advancing through the pine woods, under a sharp fire,
and driving the enemy's skirmishers before it, the brig
ade swung into line along side of the Second Corps,
united with its left, and seized a favorable position on
the further edge of the wood, looking out upon an open
field toward the enemy's lines, and very near their
works. Just at this time masses of the rebels were
seen emerging from the opposite wood at double quick,
in a furious charge upon the left of Hancock's Corps,
which had become somewhat disorganized from the suc
cessful attack it had just previously made. Taking this
whole column of rebels in front and flank, the brigade
330 THE GREAT REBELLION.
received the terrible onset with indomitable obstinacy,
hurling them back in confusion, and strewing the
ground with dead and wounded. A .murderous and
incessant fire was kept up on both sides during nearly
the whole day, but that position was held until the
enemy withdrew, six days later. In this brilliant move
ment, in which Col. Griffin won his star, and which,
without doubt, saved Hancock's Corps from being
routed, the Sixth Regiment bore a conspicuous part,
seizing an advanced position, and holding out stubborn
ly, when others were disposed to quail. The loss of
the regiment in this battle was sixty-eight men killed
and wounded.
On the 18th, while holding this line, an advance on
the enemy's lines was ordered, and the Sixth, with
others, moved gallantly forward into the wood, seizing
a small eminence within a few yards of the enemy's
line, and holding this perilous position until withdrawn
by order of General Burnside, on the afternoon of the
same day. In this affair Captain S. D. Quarles was
severely wounded. That night the army abandoned
its position, and moved to the left, and on the 20th
and 21st 'of May pushed on to the North Anna river,
where the regiment bore its part in the engagement,
but was not in the front line, being held with the
reserves. On the 26th, while reconnoitering the move
ments and position of the enemy, Lieut. Colonel Pear
son was shot through the head by a rebel rifleman.
There was not a more promising young officer in the
whole corps, and the regiment mourned his loss with
heartfelt sorrow. He had been for some time in com
mand of the regiment, and his loss was very severely
felt. Major Bixby succeeded to the command, and soon
obtained the good will of officers and men. The
regiment was again engaged with its brigade, at Ptol-
opotamy Creek, on the 21st, driving the enemy from
SIXTH REGIMENT. 331
his position. In the several engagements from the 16th
to the 31st of May, the regiment suffered a loss of three
officers and thirteen men.
On the 3d of June a general engagement took place
at Cold Harbor, in which the Sixth was actively en
gaged, near Bethesda Church — Griffin's Brigade occu
pying the extreme left of the line of the army. The
regiment lost three officers and twenty-two men wound
ed, and four enlisted men killed. The next day the
regiment moved to Cold Harbor, and was constantly
under fire during the several days the army occupied
that position. Lieut. Joseph M. Shephard was killed ;
Captain S. G. Goodwin, Lieuts. Orange B. Otis and
John Curtin wounded.
On the night of the 12th of June the army withdrew
from Cold Harbor, and moved for Petersburg, where
It arrived on the afternoon of the 16th. On that night
the Ninth Corps was ordered to attack at daylight next
morning. Griffin's brigade was selected for this duty,
supported by Curtin's brigade of the same division.
General Potter commanding the division, entrusted
the planning and execution of the attack to General
Griffin. The troops were led under cover of darkness,
to a ravine within a hundred yards of the enemy's
works, and there formed for attack. So near was the
position to the rebels that all orders had to be given
in whispers. The leading regiments were ordered to
observe the strictest silence, and to advance without
firing a shot, carrying the works at the point of the
bayonet. As day began to dawn the order was given
to advance. The men moved quickly and noiselessly
upon the rebel lines, took the enemy completely by
surprise, capturing or putting to flight the whole force,
and sweeping their line for a mile in extent. By this
movement nearly one thousand prisoners fell into the
hands of the Union troops, besides four pieces of artil-
332 THE GREAT REBELLION.
leiy, caissons and horses, more than a thousand stand
of small arms, and a quantity of ammunition. A wide
breach was made in the enemy's lines* and there was
nothing to prevent an advance into the city, had sup
ports come up in time. But the other corps did not
advance, and when the First and Third Divisions at
tacked, at three o'clock in the afternoon, the enemy
was prepared to meet them, and they were repulsed
with immense slaughter.
On the 18th the enemy was driven hack to his inner
line of fortifications, and the army took up that line
from the Appomattox, running south, which it fortified
with much labor and skill, and occupied with some
slight changes during the succeeding ten months, ex
tending it at different times to the south and west,
until it nearly encompassed the city. The Ninth Corps
occupied this part of the line until the 20th of August,
and during the whole of that time the picket firing was
incessant, both day and night. It was one continual
engagement, and the troops were constantly under fire
for nine weeks — alternately laboring on the intrench-
ments, or watching the enemy with musket in hand,
and firing whenever there was a head to be seen in the
opposing line. The loss, in consequence, was very
heavy, amounting to two officers and sixteen men killed,
and six officers and one hundred and two men wounded.
So arduous was the duty from the 5th of May to the
20th of August, that both officers and men were so
completely exhausted and worn out, from constant
hardship, watching and exertion, that they could lie
down and sleep soundly under the booming of cannon,
the rattle of musketry and the whistle of bullets.
While lying in this position, on the 15th of July, Lieut.
Colonel Bixby received a wound in the shoulder, which
disabled him for three months. During this time the
command devoted upon Capt. Robert L. Ela.
SIXTH REGIMENT. 333
The "Mine" in front of Petersburg was excavated
by the Second Division of the Ninth Corps, the labor
being performed principally by the Forty-eighth Penn
sylvania. The place of the Sixth Regiment in the line
of intrenchments was directly in front of and covering
the mouth of the mine. On the night of the 29th of
July, every thing being in readiness, the troops were
put in position for the assault, and just after daylight
on the morning of the 30th, the mine was sprung. The
assault was led by the First Division, General Ledlie,
which failed to do the work assigned to it. The Second
Division, and particularly the brigade to which the
Sixth belonged, did every thing that could be done;
pushing on in advance of all other troops, and driving
the rebels before them by hand to hand fighting. But
the first hour being lost by the halting of Ledlie's
division in the " crater," thus blocking the way and
giving the enemy time to collect their force and con
centrate their fire, it was too late to retrieve the day,
despite the most strenuous exertions. The troops were
withdrawn in the afternoon of the same day, by order
of General Grant. In this disastrous affair the Sixth
Regiment bore a brave and conspicuous part, losing
Capt. Crossfield and Lieut. Upton, killed, and Captains
Ela and Greenleaf, Adjutant Smith and Lieut. Hans-
comb, wounded. The entire loss of the regiment was
fifty-two killed and wounded.
Among those conspicuous for gallantry on this occa
sion was Sergeant Major Abraham Cohn, who was
wounded, and who afterward received one of the medals
of honor authorized by Congress to be given to merito
rious soldiers. The medal was awarded by the Secretary
of War, on recommendation of the brigade, division and
corps commanders, approved by General Meade, and
transcribed by Adjutant General Townsend, with quite
a flattering letter accompanying. The medal bears the
334 THE GREAT REBELLION.
following inscription : " The Congress, to Sergeant
Major Abraham Cohn, Sixth New Hampshire Yet.
Vols." On the 20th of August the iTinth Corps was
engaged in the battle of the Weldon Railroad, aiding
in repulsing a furious attack .of the enemy on the Fifth
Corps. The Sixth Regiment sustained itself handsome
ly, losing one man killed and several wounded.
On the 30th of September the battle of Poplar Spring
Church took place, in which the Ninth Corps partici
pated. The Sixth Regiment was in the thickest of the
fight, and lost in killed, -wounded and missing, four
officers and eighty-seven men. The field was held, and
a new line of intrenchments was thrown up, in wrhich
the regiment remained until December. On the 19th
of October Capt. S. D. Quarles, who had been absent
on account of severe wounds received on the 18th of
May, returned to the regiment, and was immediately
mustered as Major.
The Ninth Corps returned to its original position in
front of Petersburg, early in December, holding the
right of the line of the army of the Potomac, next to
the Appomattox river. Griffin's brigade occupied the
left of the Corps, including Forts Sedgwick, "Hell,"
Davis, and Alexander Hayes, and batteries No. 24 and
25. The Sixth Regiment lay in rear of Fort Alexander
Hayes, occupying this camp until the final assault on
the 2d of April, 1865, which gave us Petersburg, and
consequently Richmond. On the evening of the 1st
of April orders were received to be prepared to unite
in a general attack on the enemy's lines the next morn
ing, at four o'clock. At ten o'clock the same evening,
orders were received to attack the enemy's picket line
at once, and the Sixth and other regiments of its brig
ade marched out and attacked that night to the left of
Fort Davis, capturing eight officers and two hundred
and forty-one men, and carrying their picket line for
SIXTH REGIMENT. 335
more than half a mile in extent. The 'troops were
withdrawn, and transferred in the darkness to the
Jerusalem plank road, and massed to the left of and
near Fort Sedgwick. The ditches of the Union in
trenched line were filled with water, as well as those
of the enemy. Both these were to be passed, then the
strong abattis of their main line was to be cut away or
removed, their main ditches passed, their parapets
scaled, and their works carried. The brigade was
formed in column by regiments in line of battle, and
the Sixth was near the head of the column. Just at
daybreak, at a preconcerted signal, the column advanced
to the charge. Nothing could exceed the coolness and
intrepidity with which both officers and men, under a
terrific fire of grape, canister and musketry, advanced
to the assault. Capturing the rebel pickets as they
passed, they dashed upon the enemy's main works,
tearing away their abattis, sweeping over their parapets,
and carrying all before them. Hundreds of prisoners
were sent to the rear, and their complete line of works
in front of Fort Sedgwick, with many pieces of artil
lery, fell into our hands. The Sixth Regiment dashed
upon a small fort, near Fort Mahone, planted its colors
on the parapet, captured four pieces of artillery, and
turned them upon the enemy. The rebels brought
up re-enforcements, and made a furious counter charge,
but the works were firmly held. During the night the
enemy withdrew, and the next morning at -daybreak
our forces entered the city without opposition. For
gallant and highly meritorious conduct in this affair,
Lieut. Colonel Bixby was brevetted Colonel, Major
Quarles Lieut. Colonel, and Captain S. G. Goodwin
Major. The regiment lost six men killed and twenty-
five wounded.
From Petersburg the Sixth Regiment marched with its
corps in pursuit of Lee and his army, arriving at Burks-
336 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ville on the $th of April. On the 20th, the rehel forces
having been captured or dispersed, and the war being at
an end, the regiment marched to City Point, and from
there sailed for Alexandria, where it arrived on the 27th.
On the 1st of June Lieut. Col. Bixby was promoted to
Colonel, Major Quarles to Lieut. Colonel, and Captain
Robert L. Ela to Major. On the 17th of July the regi
ment was mustered out of the United States service,
being the last remaining regiment of the Second Divis
ion, Ninth Corps, of which Gen. Griffin was then in
command.
It has been said of it that " No regiment from the
State and none in the army had won a prouder name, or
made a more honorable record than the gallant old veter
an Sixth. No regiment had seen more severe cam
paigning, done more or better service, or been oftener
under fire. Few regiments went through the war with
so little internal dissension and so much harmony among
officers. Few regiments endured the hardships of the
service with so much fortitude and so little grumbling ;
for they were men whose hearts were in the work of
crushing out the rebellion. When, at various times,
calls were made for the names of men to whom medals
should be awarded for gallant conduct upon the field,
few names were ever given, for the reason that so many
had done well it was hard to designate a small number.
Captains would report that almost every one of their
men might be recommended, but it would be invidious
to name a few."
The Sixth Regiment was actively engaged in the fol
lowing battles :
Camden, North Carolina, April 19, 1862.
Second Bull Run, Va., August 29, 1862.
Chantilly, Va., September 1, 1862.
South Mountain, Md., September 13, 1862.
SIXTH REGIMENT. 337
Antietam, Md., September 17, 1862.
Fredericks!) nrg, Va., December 13, 1862.
Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi,
Jackson, Mississippi,
Wilderness, Va., May 6, 1864.
Spottsylvania Court House, Va., May 12 and 18, 1864.
North Anna River, Ya., May 24, 1864.
Ptolopotamy Creek, " May 31, 1864.
Betliesda Church, " June 2, 1864.
Cold Harbor, " June 3, 1864.
Petersburg, " June 16, 17 and 18, 1864.
Weldon Railroad, " July 30, 1864.
Poplar Spring Church, " September 30, 1864.
Hatcher's Run, " October 27, 1864.
Petersburg, " April 2, 1865.
In addition to these the regiment participated in a
great number of reconnoissances and skirmishes, in
which it lost no men. Many days during the campaign
in the Wilderness, and for nine weeks before Petersburg,
the regiment was constantly under fire and lost men
almost every day, making a large aggregate. The Sixth
was more often sent forward as skirmishers than any
other regiment. It always did the skirmishing for its
brigade, and often for its division. Company C almost
always skirmished for the regiment. The regiment was
particularly well drilled for this especial duty. While
at Roanoke and Hatteras Islands the men were drilled
and practiced every day for three months as sharp
shooters, and they were considered the best shots in
the Ninth Army Corps.
The Sixth Regiment arrived at Concord on the 22d of
July, 1865, where it was given a formal reception by the
State authorities and citizens, and the men were imme
diately paid off and discharged.
338 THE GREAT REBELLION.
SEVENTH REGIMEOTT.
On the 2cl of September, 1861, Joseph C. Abbott,
of Manchester, late Adjutant General of the State,
received authority directly from the War Department
at Washington, to raise a regiment of infantry in New
Hampshire, and uniform, arm, equip and make it ready
for the field. At that time and very soon after, the
State ordered the raising of four regiments of infantry,
a battery, a company of sharpshooters, and a battalion
of cavalry. The raising of the Seventh was regarded
somewhat in the light of an individual enterprise, and
was therefore surrounded by many difficulties and em
barrassments, and its success was thought by some to
be quite doubtful. The State authorities offered to
men enlisting in this the same bounty, ten dollars, that
they paid those entering other regiments, and in other
ways gave to the undertaking such encouragement as
they could without interfering with their own imme
diate plans. The headquarters of the regiment were
established at Manchester, and on the 2d of October
General Abbott was commissioned Lieut. Colonel — he
waving his right to the position of Colonel only on con
dition that it should be given to some graduate of West
Point. There was an understanding between the State
authorities and General Abbott, from the first, that
such men should be commissioned as he should desig
nate. He nominated First Lieut. II. S. Putnam, of
the United States Topographical Engineers and a native
of the State, as Colonel, and Daniel Smith, of Dover,
as Major, and they were commissioned by the Governor.
The requisite number of men were enlisted and the
SEVENTH REGIMENT.
organization and muster in of the regiment was com
pleted on the 14th of December. The following were
the field, staff and company officers of the regiment,
and their official record, during the whole period of
its service •
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Haldimand S. Putnam, of Cornish.
Killed at Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863.
Joseph C. Abbott, of Manchester.
Appointed Brigadier General U. S Vols. by brevet, for gallant services at
the capture of Fort Fisher, N. C., to date from Jan. 15, 1865. Mustered out
July 20, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Joseph C. Abbott, of Manchester.
Promoted to Colonel July 22, 1863.
Thomas A. Henderson, of Dover.
KilleJl at Deep Run, Va., Aug. 16, 1864.
Augustus W. Rollins, of Rollinsford.
Wounded Oct. 7, 1864. Appointed Colonel U. S. Vols., by brevet, for gal
lant and meritorious conduct at the storming of Fort Fisher, N. C., to date
from March 13, 1865. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Majors — Daniel Smith, of Dover.
Died of disease Aug. 26, 1862.
Thomas A. Henderson, of Dover.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel July 22, 1863.
Augustus "W. Rollins, of Rollinsford.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Sept. 30, 1864.
Jeremiah S. Durgin, of Fisherville.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Adjutants — Thomas A. Henderson, of Dover.
Promoted to Major Aug. 26, 1862.
Henry G. Webber, of Charlestown.
Dismissed Nov. 12, 1864.
John Greene, of Concord.
Appointed Captain U. S. Vols. by brevet, for gallant and meritorious
conduct at the storming of Fort Fisher, N. C., to date from March 13, 1865.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Quartermasters — Andrew H. Young, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain and A. Q. M., Nov. 25, 1862.
George S. Hanson, of Dover.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Surgeons — William W. Brown, of Manchester.
Resigned July 22, 1864.
340 THE OREA T REBELLION.
Sylvan us Bunton, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Ass't Surgeons — Henry Boynton, of Wc*>dstoek, Vt
Resigned Jan. 24, 1864.
William II. Smart, jr., of Concord.
Resigned Nov. 20, 1862.
Moses S. Wilson, of Salisbury.
Honorably discharged June 17, 1864.
Sylvanus Bunton, of Manchester.
Promoted to Surgeon Aug. 24, 1864.
George T. Perry, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Chaplain — Joseph C. Emerson, of Fisherville.
Captured at Newmarket Roads, Va,, Sept 20, 1864. Returned Jan. 14,
1865. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — George II. Elliott.
Discharged for disability Nov. 1862.
George F. McCabe, of Manchester.
Promoted to Second Lieut. July 20, 1863.
"William McLeod Moore.
Re-enlisted Feb. 22, 1864. Discharged for disability July 2, 1864.
Edwin D. Hand, of Rye.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 1, 1865.
Augustus L. Litchtield.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeants — George S. Hanson, of Dover.
Promoted to Quartermaster Nov. 26, 1862,
Darius Merrill, of Manchester.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
James A. Hills.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — Henry G. Lowell.
Re- enlisted F*eb. 28, 1864. Promoted to Second Lieut, to date from Feb. 6,
1864.
James M. Seavey, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut May 1, 1865.
Thomas Bush.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — "William G. Brown.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Henry S. Bunton, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Hiram S. Clitfbrd.
Reduced to ranks and assigned to Co. C.
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 341
Avery Bixby.
Re-enlisted Feb. 27, 1864. Mustered oat July 20, 1865.
Horace P. Buel.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Patrick McKenna.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — Jona, F. Cotton, of Strafford.
Resigned Feb. 8, 1804.
Charles Hooper, of Sornersworth.
Wounded May 16, 1864. Musterei out Dec. 22, 1864.
Charles P. Dermison.
Mustered out July 20, 1 860.
First Lieuts. — Granville P. Mason, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain NOT. 1, 1862.
Charles Hooper, of Somersworth.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 6, 1864.
Paul Whipple, of New Boston.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 12, 1864.
Charles P. Den ni son.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 22, 1864.
James M. Seavev, of Dover.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Virgil H. Cate, of Manchester.
'Promoted to First Lieut. July 23, 1862.
Calvin Shedd, of Enfield.
Resigned Dec. 31, 1863.
Mansel Otis, of Claremont.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Co. B. — Captains — Orlando Lawrence, of Nashua.
Dismissed Oct. 28, 1862.
Granville P. Mason, of Manchester.
Mustered out Oct. 31, 1864.
Charles A. Lawrence, of Nashua.
Transferred to Co. G.
Edwin D. Rand, of Rye.
" Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — David B. Currier, of Danville.
Resigned April 28, 1862.
Ezra Davis, of Nashua.
Wounded July 18, 1863. Died of wounds Aug. 6, 1863.
342 THE GREAT REBELLION.
George "W. Taylor, of Salem.
Killed at Olustee, Fla., Feb. 20, 1864.
Heber J. Davis, of Hancock.
Wounded severely May 14, 1864. Wounded severely Oct. 27, 1864.
Honorably discharged on account of wounds, March 27, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Ezra Davis, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 29, 1862.
George W. Taylor, of Salem.
Wounded at Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863. Promoted to First Lieut.
Aug. 7, 1863.
James A. Cobb, of Nashua.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Co. C. — Captains — Jesse E. George, of Plaistow.
Promoted to First Lieut, April 28, 1862.
Jerome B. House, of Lebanon.
Wounded July 18, 1863. Died of wounds Oct. 25. 1863.
William C. Knowlton, of Manchester.
Cashiered Jan. 1,1864.
Joseph E. Clifford, of London.
Wounded severely Feb. 20, 1864. Honorably discharged Oct. 29, 1864.
George F. McCabe, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Jerome B. House, of Lebanon.
Promoted to Captain April 29, 1862.
Samuel Williams, of Enfield.
Resigned July 23, 1862.
Virgil H. Gate, of Manchester.
Captured Jan. 9, 1863. Exchanged June 12, 1863. Killed at Fort Wag
ner, S. C., July 18,1863.
William F. Spaulding, of Hollis.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Clement F. S. Ames, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Samuel Williams, of Enlield.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 29, 1862.
Andrew J. Lane.
Killed at Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863.
George F. McCabe, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 30, 1864.
Co. D. — Captains — James M. Chase, of Hopkinton.
Wounded slightly Feb. 20, 1864. Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Grovenor A. Curtice, of Hopkinton.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Wm. C. Knowlton, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 26, 1863.
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 343
Ferdinand Davis, of Lebanon.
Wounded severely Feb. 20, 1864. Mustered out Dec. 22. 1864.
Frank Robie, of Manchester.
Transferred from Co. G. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Chas. Hooper, of Somersworth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 1, 1862.
Alfred X. Bennett, of Nashua.
Killed at Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863.
Charles A. Lawrence, of Nashua.
Wounded June 18, 1864. Wounded Sept, 15, 1864. -Promoted to Captain
Nov. 2, 1864 '
Co. E. — Captains — Jeremiah S. Durgin, of Fisherville.
Promoted to Major Sept. 30, 1864.
John A. Coburn, of Hollis.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Timothy Dow, of Concord.
Resigned Aug. 22, 1863.
Robert Burt, of Concord.
Wounded severely Feb. 20, 1864. Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Charles B. Wallace, of Concord.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Henry A. Baker, of Boscawen.
Killed at Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863.
True "W. Arlin, of Canterbury.
Wounded severely Feb. 20, 1864. Died of wounds March 23, 1864.
Co. F. — Captains — Augustus W. Rollins, of Rollinsford.
Promoted to Major July 23, 1863.
Charles Cain, of Manchester.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
First Lieuts. — Oliver M. Clark, of Dover.
Resigned Aug. 22, 1863.
Francis White, of Antrim.
Honorably discharged Dec. 29, 1864.
John A. Rand, of Rye.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — F. Gr. "Wentworth, of Rollinsford.
Resigned June 3, 1863.
George Roberts, of Dover.
Wounded and captured Feb. 20, 1864. Released. Promoted to Captain
Dec. 22, 1864.
Co. G. Captains— Henry B. Leavitt, of Pittsfield.
Wounded and captured July 18, 1863. Died of wounds at Charleston, S. C.,
July 21, 1863.
344 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Penuel C. Ham, of New Durham.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Charles A. Lawrence, of Nashua.
Transferred to Co. B. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Penuel C. Hani, of New Durham.
Promoted to Captain July 22, 1868.
Joseph E. Clifford, of Loudon.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 1, 1864.
William W. W. Walker.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 28, 1864.
Frank Robie, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. D.
George W. Dicey, of Gilmanton.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Joseph E. Clifford, of Loudon.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 23, 1863.
Joseph A. Jacobs.
Honorably discharged Sept. 24, 1864.
Calvin Brown.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 13, 1864.
Co. H. — Captains — Nathan M. Ames, of Hollis.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
First Lieuts. — Alvah K Potter, of Concord.
Resigned June 30, 1862.
John H. Worcester, of Hollis.
Wounded July 18, 1863. Died of wounds July 25, 1863.
Charles H. Farley, of Hollis.
Wounded severely Feb. 20, 1864. Died of wounds Feb. 24, 1864.
John A. Coburn, of Hollis.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 12, 1864.
Calvin Brown, of Ossipee.
Transferred to Co. I.
Second Lieuts. — John H. Worcester, of Hollis.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 30, 1862.
Charles H. Farley, of Hollis.
Promoted to First Lieut. August 6, 1863.
Francis Lovejoy, of Hollis.
Honorably discharged April 28, 1864.
Charles P. Dennison, of Lancaster.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 13, 1864.
Co. I. — Captains — Joseph Freschl, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged July 7, 1864.
Paul Whipple, of New Boston.
Transferred to Co. K,
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 345
First Lieuts. — Charles Craine, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain July 24, 1863.
Hazen G. Dodge, of Merrimack.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Calvin Brown, of Ossipee.
Transferred from Co. H. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Perley B. Bryant, of Dover.
Killed at Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863.
Heber J. Davis, of Hancock.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 6, 1864.
Henry G. Lowell.
Mustered out July 20, 1865.
Co. K. — Captains — "Warren E. F. Brown, of Manchester.
Killed at Fort Wagner, S. C., July 18, 1863.
Leander W. Fogg, of Dover.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Paul Whipple, of 'New Boston.
Transferred from Co. I. Mustered out July 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Leander W. Fogg, of New Boston.
Promoted to Captain July 19, 1864.
William A. Hill, of Deny.
Wounded severely June 17, 1864. Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Second Lieuts. — William A. Hill, of New Boston.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 20, 1863.
George M. Chase, of Cornish.
Mustered out Dec. 22, 1864.
Josiah H. Gage, of New Boston.
Died of wounds.
COLONEL HALDIMAND SUMNER PUTNAM.
Colonel Putnam was born at Cornish, Sullivan County,
New Hampshire, on the 15th of October, 1835. He was
a son of Hon. John L. Putnam, of that town, who was
for many years previous to 1855 Judge of Probate for
Sullivan County, a good farmer and highly respected
citizen. Young Putnam received a good public school
and academic education, and when about sixteen years
old, entered the Military Academy at West Point, from
'which institution he graduated with high honors in
July, 1857. Soon after receiving his degree, he was
346 THE GREAT REBELLION.
brevetted a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Topo
graphical Engineers, and at once entered the United
States service, and was assigned to duty at different
points on the Western frontier. His merits were soon
known and appreciated, and for faithful services he was
commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Engineer
Corps, and subsequently promoted to First Lieutenant.
His education, ability, character and devotion to duty
were such as to gain the respect of his superior officers
and the confidence of the government. While on the
Western frontier his marches were often arduons and
his privations severe. On one journey from the western
coast to the Utah country, in the winter, the troops of
Lieut. Putnam's command suffered intensely from cold,
and subsequently from hunger. They consumed their
last ration the day before they reached the vicinity of
Salt Lake City, where their necessities could be sup
plied. In all times of hardship and privation young
Putnam exhibited great cheerfulness, courage and deter
mination to overcome every obstacle and danger which
might gather in his pathway or interfere with the per
formance of duty.
Early in the year 1861, when the spirit of secession
began to assume the hideous form and shape of treason
to the government of the country, Lieut. Putnam was
summoned to Washington, and entrusted with special
messages of the greatest importance, to convey to Fort
Pickens. He traveled by railroad through the seceded
and disaffected States, accomplished his mission, and
was returning to Washington, when he was arrested, at
Montgomery, Alabama, by the military authorities, and
there kept in prison several days. He was finally per
mitted to resume his journey, and reported to the Sec
retary of War. He was then assigned to an important
and responsible position on General McDowell's staff,
where he remained until relieved to accept the Colonel-
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 347
cy of the Seventh Regiment, New Hampshire Volun
teers. While on the staff of General McDowell Lieut.
Putnam performed many arduous and important duties
with a fidelity, faithfulness and skill which attracted
the notice of his superiors in rank and evinced his great
military ability. In the first battle of Bull Run he was
in the thickest of the fight, showed great coolness and
bravery, but came out unharmed.
During the first few months of the war, when treason
in the regular army was the rule rather than the excep
tion, a patriotic and faithful young officer, with the edu
cation and ability to command was appreciated, and his
services were sorely needed to lead the troops from
every New England state. Young Putnam had taken
his position upon the side of the Union, and shown most
emphatically that he hated treason and was willing, if
need be, to seal his loyalty with his blood. Governor
Berry offered him the command of the Seventh Regi
ment, which responsibility he at first hesitated about
accepting, feeling that he was too young for so importa'ht
a position, but on being further urged consented at
last to the proposition, and was commissioned on the
15th of October, 1861. Soon after, with permission
from the "War Department, Colonel Putnam joined his
regiment, which had been raised by Lieut. Colonel
Joseph C. Abbott, at Manchester, assumed command,
and entered with zeal upon the discharge of his duties,
which were by no means light or easy, and soon brought
his command into a high state of discipline and drill.
On the 14th of January, 1862, Colonel Putnam left New
Hampshire with his regiment for the seat of war. After
four weeks passed in barracks in New York City, the
regiment was ordered to Tortugas Island, situated on
one of the Florida Keys, and was at that time the prin
cipal depot for the distribution of rations and munitions
of war to the forts and military posts of the South.
348 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Colonel Putnam immediately on his arrival there as
sumed command of the post, the regiment being the
only troops at that point, except a few* regulars. Here
the regiment remained, stationed at Fort Jefferson,
four months. Afterward the command was located at
St. Augustine, Fla., Port Royal, S. C., and in the vicin
ity of Charleston. The first important action in which
the Seventh Regiment was engaged was the memorable
assault upon Fort "Wagner. For several months preced
ing this engagement Colonel Putnam had been an acting
Brigadier General, and was fighting with that rank at
the time* he was killed. His command consisted of his
own and several regiments from the middle States. In
the terrible assault upon Fort Wagner he displayed the
most sublime courage and bravery, leading his command
through a most deadly storm of shot and shell, encourag
ing his men by his own gallant example, until he fell
mortally wounded, close up to the enemy's works.
In March, 1863, Colonel Putnam was commissioned a
Captain in the United States Army. He was a strict
disciplinarian, but always so dignified, candid and just
in his relations and intercourse with his officers and men
as -ip secure and retain their unbounded respect and
warmest affections. In his death the army lost one of
its bravest and ablest commanders, and his regiment a
gallant, honored and beloved Colonel. He united with
the highest military talent a spotless character and many
endearing qualities of head and heart. He was among
the dearest sacrifices made by the government to put
down a wicked rebellion.
BRIGADIER GENERAL JOSEPH C. ABBOTT.
General Joseph C. Abbott is a son of Aaron Abbott,
of Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and
was born in that city on the 15th of July, 1825. He
Ccl. 7 r N.HVels Brevet bria. Gen1 ( >-~~ols'
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 349
attended the public schools of Concord, and subse
quently fitted for college under a private instructor and
at Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. Instead of enter
ing college, as he had designed, he read law with Hon.
L. D. Stevens, the present Mayor of Concord, for a time,
and afterward with Hon. David Cross, of Manchester, and
Hon. As*a Fowler, of Concord. Having a very decided
taste for literary pursuits, he was employed as editor of
the Manchester American for six months from April,
1851, and for the following six months w^as editor of the
New Hampshire Statesman, published at Concord. On
the 1st of May, 1852, he removed to Manchester, where
he continued his residence until after the close of the
war, and became permanently connected with the Amer
ican as its editor and proprietor until 1857, when he
disposed of his interest in the paper and the printing
establishment connected therewith. In May, 1859,
General Abbott became one of the editors and proprie
tors of the Boston Atlas and Bee, and so continued until
May, 1861. He was chairman of the committee that
reported the resolutions in the Whig Presidential State
Convention of New Hampshire in 1852, and was a
member of the Whig State Central Committee two
years, the last of which he was chairman.
In July, 1855, General Abbott was appointed by
the Governor and Council, Adjutant General of the
State, which office he held until July, 1861, when he
resigned. For several years he was an active and useful
member of the New Hampshire Historical Society, and
always took a lively interest in whatever related to the
welfare of the State. In 1857, while Adjutant General —
the State being without any effective military organi
zation, and feeling that in time of peace we should
prepare for war, — he drafted an elaborate bill providing
for a thorough organization of the volunteer militia of
the State, and through his activity and influence secured
350 THE GREAT REBELLION.
its enactment into a law, which is, with some slight
modifications, the law of New Hampshire upon that
H abject still.
On the 2d day of September, 1861, General Abbott
received authority from the War Department to raise
a regiment of infantry in the State of New Hampshire.
About that time the State authorities were organizing
four regiments of infantry, a battery, a company of
sharpshooters, and a battalion of cavalry, making a
very heavy draft upon its available men. It was with
some difficulty that General Abbott could get the Gov
ernor and Council to extend to him such assistance as
was absolutely necessary to secure the success of his
undertaking, absorbed as they were in other matters
more immediately pressing upon them. By his indom
itable perseverance, however, he succeeded in securing
the requisite number of men, and established the head
quarters of his regiment, which had been numbered
the Seventh, at Manchester. Determined as he was
that his should be the model regiment from the State,
he desired that it should be commanded by a man with
a thorough military education, who had seen service
in the field : hence he asked only for the Lieut. Colonel
cy for himself, and nominated Lieut. Haldimand S.
Putnam, a graduate of West Point, a native of Cornish,
in this State, and who had been in a responsible position
on the staff of General McDowell since the breaking
out of the rebellion, to the Governor, for Colonel.
Lieut. Putnam was accordingly commissioned, and
Gen. Abbott was commissioned Lieut. Colonel. Early
in 1863 Colonel Putnam was placed in command of a
brigade, and Lieut. Colonel Abbott commanded the
Seventh Regiment. At the assault on Fort Wagner,
on the 18th of July, 1863, while leading his brigade,
Colonel Putnam was killed. The Seventh Regiment
was in his brigade, under command of the Lieut. Col-
SE VENTH. REGIMENT. 351
onel, and suffered a loss of two hundred and twelve
officers and men, killed, wounded and missing. On the
22d of July, soon after this disastrous engagement,
Lieut. Colonel Abbott was promoted to Colonel of his
regiment, and commanded it in most of its severe
marches and bloody battles, until the summer of 1864,
when he assumed command of a brigade ; after which
lie was nearly all of the time, until the close of the war,
acting Brigadier General. He commanded a brigade
at the capture of Fort Fisher, North Carolina, and was
" appointed Brigadier General United States Volun
teers, by brevet, for gallant services " on that occasion,
to date from January 15, 1865. General Abbott was
mustered out of the United States service with his regi
ment, returned to New Hampshire with it, and was dis
charged in August, 1865.
After the close of the war, General Abbott, in com
pany with some other gentlemen, purchased valuable
timber lands in North Carolina, and he removed to
"Wilmington and engaged actively in the land and lum
ber business. He was a member of the North Carolina
Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Raleigh,
in November, 1867, and took a leading part on commit
tees and in debates, showing an intimate knowledge of
the political affairs of the country and a deep interest in
the action of his adopted State in the condition in which
the war had left it. In April, 1868, he was elected to
the Legislature, and in June, 1868, General Abbott was
elected United States Senator from North Carolina, for
the term ending March 4, 1871, in which capacity he is
now serving the country.
As a political and general newspaper writer General
Abbott had few superiors in New England; as a politi
cian he wras active, careful and conservative; as Adjutant
General of the State, when the war first broke out, he
exhibited true patriotism, the utmost energy and perse-
352 THE GREAT REBELLION.
verance in raising and putting into the field, in the best
possible condition for efficient service, \he troops called
for by the President; as a regimental and brigade com
mander in the field he was always cool, prudent, careful
of his troops, gallant and fearless of consequences
to himself, and scrupulously faithful in the discharge
of every duty. As a true friend and high toned gentle-
man he had no superiors in New Hampshire.
LIEUT. COLONEL THOMAS ALBERT HENDERSON.
Lieut. Colonel Henderson was a son of Capt. Samuel
H. Henderson, and was born at Dover, Strafford County,
New Hampshire, December 1st, 1833. He completed
the preparatory studies at Gil man ton Academy, and
entered Bowdoin College in the fall of 1851, and gradu
ated with distinction, at the head of his class in 1855.
For the three succeeding years he was principal of
Franklin Academy in Dover, where he was a popular
and successful teacher. He read law in the office of
Messrs. Woodman and Doe, of Dover, and finished his
course at Harvard Law School in 1861, where he exhibit
ed marked ability as a scholar and debater. He won
the highest prize for a legal essay, and received the
degree of LL. B. Soon after his graduation he was
admitted to the Suffolk Bar of Massachusetts, with
every prospect of success and eminence in his profession
before him. But the country was in a war with rebels,
and believing that every good citizen owed his first duty
to his government he determined to enter the army.
With this end in view he went to Norwich Vermont,
where he remained several months, under military in
struction and drill, and then in November, 1861, ac
cepted the position of Adjutant of the Seventh Regi
ment, New Hampshire Volunteers.
Upon the death of Major Smith, in August, 1862, on
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 353
the urgent recommendation of Colonel Putnam, Adju
tant Henderson was commissioned Major. In the
bloody assault upon Fort Wagner, on the 18th of July,
1863, Major Henderson acted as aid to Colonel Putnam,
who was in command of a brigade, and was killed while
leading a storming column, and in consequence of whose
death Lieut. Colonel Abbott was promoted to Colonel,
and Major Henderson to Lieut Colonel, on the 22d of
the same month. He subsequently served on the staff
of General Seymour, and was Provost Marshal of
Florida during the campaign which resulted in the dis
astrous battle of Olustee. In the spring of 1864, the
Seventh Regiment was transferred to Virginia, and
Lieut. Colonel Henderson led his command in the battle
of Drury's Bluff, where his skill and gallantry elicited
the highest commendations from the commanding Gen
eral. He also commanded his regiment in the engage
ment at Deep Bottom, near Richmond, on the 16th of
August, 1864, and received a mortal wound in the hip,
which severed the principal artery, from which, despite
all that surgical skill and attention could do, he died in
a few hours. His body was embalmed and sent home
in charge of Chaplain Emerson, and was buried on the
2d of September, in Pine Hill Cemetery, in the City of
Dover, amid the mourning of a large circle of relatives
and friends. Thus perished, while in the faithful dis
charge of duty another brave and talented officer and
pure and earnest patriot.
Lieut. Colonel Henderson was a man of very superior
ability and fine attainments; of inflexible morality, and
stainless purity of life. In the army he discharged
every duty with fidelity and patriotic devotion, which
with his uniform cheerfulness and kindness made him a
favorite with all, of whatever rank or degree. In his
death, glorious though it was, the city of his birth, the
State, his regiment and the nation met with a sad loss.
354 THE GREAT REBELLION.
MAJOR DANIEL SMITH. '
Major Daniel Smith was a son of "Winthrop Smith,
Esq., of Durham, Straftbrd County, New Hampshire.
He was horn at that place on the 27th of January, 1823.
After attendance at the public schools of his native
town he attended the academies at Greenland and
Pittsfield several terms. In early life he adopted the
husiness of a land surveyor, and was eminently success
ful in it. In 1850 he was commissioned Lieutenant
Colonel of the Twenty-fifth Regiment New Hampshire
Militia, and filled many positions of honor and trust
in his native town. In 1854 he removed to Dover, and
from 1855 to 1860, he was a Deputy Sheriff for Strafford
County, City Marshal three years, and Representative
from that city in the popular hranch of the New Hamp
shire Legislature in 1860 and 1861. For his character
as a man and many desirahle qualities for the position
he was appointed and commissioned Major of the
Seventh Regiment on the 15th of October, 1861. He
went with his regiment to New York City, thence to
Tortugas Islands, where he served ahly and acceptably
as Provost Marshal, until the regiment moved to Flori
da, and thence to Beaufort, South Carolina, where he
was seized with fever, when he came home in a very
feeble state, and died on the 26th of August, 1862,
leaving a widow and four children. As a citizen, Major
Smith was highly respected, and discharged all official
and public duties with intelligence and fidelity. While
in the army his promptness, valor, kindness to the men
and uniform cheerfulness won for him the confidence,
respect and affection of his fellow officers and soldiers.
The Seventh Regiment left Manchester on cars on the
morning of the 14th of January, 1862. The Governor
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 355
and Council were present to bid them farewell, and
Governor Berry made a short address to which the
officers and men responded with three hearty cheers for
New Hampshire and her Governor. On arrival at Xew
York, the morning after its departure from Manchester,
the regiment was ordered into quarters at White
Street Barracks, where it passed a month of compar
ative inactivity, relieved only by an occasional dress
parade or drill in one of the city squares. On the 13th
of February orders were received to embark for the
Dry Tortugas. Six companies, under command of Col.
Putnam, embarked on the ship S. R. Mallory, and the
remaining four companies, under Lieut. Colonel Abbott,
on the barque Tycoon, and both sailed the same day.
The latter vessel reached Tortugas after sixteen, and the
former after twenty-one days' sail. The yellow fever
broke out on the Tycoon, and two men of the Seventh
Regiment fell victims to the disease before reaching
their destination.
Tortugas is situated on one of the Florida Keys,
and at that time was the principal depot for the distri
bution of rations and munition of war to the forts,
and military posts of the South. Colonel Putnam
assumed command of the post, his regiment being the
only troops at that point except a few regulars. The
Seventh was stationed at Fort Jefferson, a well built
fortification, nearly covering one of the small keys
which rise above the coral reefs east of the Florida
coast. Good quarters were arranged and other prepara
tions made for the comfort of officers and men. Here
the duty consisted mainly of garrison and fatigue duty,
and drill, both as infantr}7- and heavy artillery, in which
the men made good proficiency.
On the 16th of June the regiment again embarked,
and sailed for Port Royal, South Carolina, where it
arrived on the 22d, and was ordered into camp at Beau-
THE GREAT REBELLION.
fort, where it remained, doing picket and guard duty,
until the 15th of September, when it was ordered to St.
Augustine, Florida, on light duty, that the men might
recruit — two hundred having been lost to the regiment
since leaving Manchester, by death and discharge, on
account of disease produced by change of habits and
climate and the long confinement in bad barracks in
New York, and on ship board. Major Smith was among
those who died while the regiment was at Beaufort.
"While at St. Augustine the entire government of the
town fell to the lot of the officers of the camp. The
regiment remained there, except that detachments were
occasionally sent on fruitless expeditions, until the 10th
of May, 1863, when it was ordered to Fernandina, to
relieve the Seventh Connecticut. After a month passed
at that place, the regiment was ordered to Hilton Head,
preparatory to an attempt to take Charleston. On the
1st of June, 1863, the regiment had received about a
hundred recruits since entering the service, notwith
standing which only five hundred and thirty-three men
reported for duty. The whole number borne upon the
rolls, at that date, out of an aggregate, including re
cruits, of over eleven hundred, was seven hundred and
twenty-nine officers and men, making a loss of nearly
four hundred, without having been under fire.
On the 18th of June, the regiment left behind all
superfluous baggage and camp equipage, and sailed from
Hilton Head to Folly Island, the same night entered
Stono Inlet in a heavy sea, by the aid of scows,
effected a landing about midnight, marched nearly
to the northern end of the island, and went into camp
in the range of the enemy's guns. From this time until
the 10th of July the Seventh was constantly at work on
the batteries which afterward covered the landing of
Strong's forces, and carried consternation into the city
of Charleston.
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 357
ASSAULT ON FORT WAGNER.
On the morning of the 10th of July at daylight, the
Union batteries erected on the northern point of Folly
Island, opened upon the enemy's works on Morris Island,
and soon, Strong's column having secured a landing,
the remaining troops passed over. The Seventh l!s"ew
Hampshire passed over in the second column, and was
at once moved to the northern part of Morris Island,
relieved the force already there, threw out pickets, and
when darkness came, threw up slight earth works.
The first unsuccessful assault on Fort Wagner took
place on the morning of the llth, and that evening
moving up still nearer to the work, the Seventh com
menced what was afterward the second parallel in that
siege. On the 18th of July the second assault on Fort
Wagner was made. Colonel Putnam had been assigned
to the command of the Second Brigade of Seymour's
Division, and the command of his regiment devolved
upon Lieut. Colonel Abbott. After a furious bombard
ment, which lasted during the entire day, Strong's
brigade, just at twilight, advanced upon the works. It
staggered back, leaving a few on and near the parapets ;
Putnam's brigade, in which was the Seventh ^Tew
Hampshire, followed close upon Strong's, in the face of
a most deadly fire. The attempt to take the work was,
in less, than an hour, seen to be a failure, and such
officers and men as had gained the works were with
drawn. In this attack Colonel Putnam, Capt. Brown,
and Lieutenants Baker, Cate, Bennett and Bryant were
killed. Capt. Leavitt was so severely wounded that he
died within three days. Capt. House died the following
October, Lieuts. Davis and Worcester died in a few days'
after the assault, while Lieuts. Ham and Taylor, both
severely wounded, recovered and returned to duty.
358 THE GREAT REBELLION.
The loss to the regiment in this action was two hundred
and twelve, killed, wounded and missfng. The regi
ment remained on Morris Island, on duty in the trenches,
on picket and on fatigue, five months, during which the
weather was intensely warm.
On the 20th of December the regiment left Morris
Island, and the next day landed at St. Helena and
reported to Colonel Joseph R. Hawley, into whose
brigade it was incorporated. Here it remained until
the 4th of February, 1864, during which time it received
an accession of more than three hundred recruits. On
the above date the regiment, with six hundred men for
duty, embarked in the expedition of Gen. Seymour to
Florida, landing at Jacksonville on the 8th. It then
marched with the whole force, to Sanderson, a small
station about fifty miles from Jacksonville. On the 12th
the Seventh Regiment marched toward Lake City, to
support a mounted regiment which had been previously
sent out in that direction, and which was understood
to be closely pressed by the enemy. After advancing
about ten miles they fell in with the cavalry scouts of
the enemy, who retired after a light skirmish. After
completing the purposes for which it was sent out the
regiment returned to Sanderson, the same night. The
next day the whole force fell back to a place called Bar
ber's Plantation, where it remained until the 20th, when
the whole of Seymour's force moved again toward Lake
City. After marching about fourteen miles the enemy's
skirmishers were met, and in two miles further they
were found in force near Olustee. A fierce battle en
sued, closing only with the approaching night, and in
the defeat of the Union troops. The Seventh New
Hampshire was in the advance, and was led within two
hundred yards of the enemy's line, by flank and left in
front. At that point they were brought into column
and massed. The deployment had not commenced
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 359
before the enemy opened a very severe fire of artillery
and musketry. The column faltered, and at last broke
in a good deal of confusion. They were rallied again,
however, and during the remainder of the battle did
good service. The loss of the regiment in this engage
ment was in the aggregate two hundred and nine
killed, wounded and missing.
After the disastrous termination of the battle of
Olustee, the whole force retreated to Jacksonville, where
the Seventh remained until the 14th of April, almost
constantly on duty, when it embarked for Gloucester
Point, Ya., which place it reached seven days afterward,
disembarked and became a part of the army of the
James, under Gen. Butler. It again embarked and
landed at Bermuda Hundred on the 6th of May, and at
once advanced into the country. A halt was made
about seven miles from Bermuda Landing, at a place
known as Ware Bottom Church, and subsequently, as a
part of the Tenth Army Corps, joined in the final
advance on Richmond, which after long months of
tenacious holding and heroic struggling, ended in the
capture of that city and the downfall of the Rebellion.
On the morning of the 9th of May the Tenth and
Eighteenth Corps again advanced, reaching the Peters
burg and Richmond railroad, .cutting it, and passing the
northern fortifications of Petersburg. The regiment
bivouacked for the night on the railroad, but in the
morning the enemy pressed down from Drury's Bluff,
and the brigade in which was the Seventh New Hamp
shire, was moved forward to repel them. On account
of the sudden illness of Colonel Hawley, commanding
the brigade, that command devolved upon Colonel
Abbott of the Seventh, leaving Lieut. Colonel Hender
son in command of the regiment. Colonel Abbott sent
the Seventh to the extreme left of the line upon a small
elevation, with instructions to hold it as long as possible.
360 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Very soon a brigade of the enemy advanced and attempt
ed to charge, but were met by a fire so^steady and rapid
that it recoiled again. Three times . it attempted to
charge, and each time was driven back, and the regi
ment held undisputed possession of the ground until it
was withdrawn with the rest of the brigade. For its
conduct on that day the regiment was complimented
upon the field by General Terry, commanding the
division, and especial credit was awarded to Lieut.
Colonel Henderson for his coolness and determination.
At the close of this action the regiment returned to
camp near Ware Bottom Church.
On the 12th the advance was made upon Drury's
Bluff. The next day the Seventh supported the Third
New Hampshire in the bloody assault made by them on
the right of the enemy's wrorks, and afterward skir
mished beyond the works up to other batteries. On the
next day it advanced on the main works of the enemy,
investing them, and was heavily engaged all day. The
next day was Sunday, and the troops were allowed to
rest. On Monday they again advanced until the whole
line retired, when halting from time to time to repel
attacks of the enemy, it fell back upon its camp at Ber
muda Hundred.
From this time until the 9th of June, the regiment
was on constant and severe duty, on what was then the
disturbed and threatened front at Bermuda Hundred,
and nearly every day under fire. On that day the regi
ment marched across the Appomattox, thence toward
Petersburg, being a part of the force commanded by
Major General Gillmore on that day. The skirmishing
was light, though the artillery fire of the enemy was
considerable ; but the attempt to assault the works
being abandoned, the regiment returned to camp at Ber
muda Hundred, that night.
SEVENTH REGIMENT. 361
On the 16th of June, the Seventh under command of
Lieut. Colonel Henderson, was engaged in a very spirit
ed fight in front of Bermuda Hundred, in which less
than two brigades held in check nearly all day the main
column of the enemy in its transit from the north to the
south of the James. From this date followed picket
and fatigue duty until August 15th, when the Seventh
was in that force which crossed to Deep Bottom, first
pressed upon "New Market Heights, and afterward
assaulted and carried a part of the enemy's works at
Deep Run. The Seventh was in this assault, and was
one of the last to retire from the field, which had been
nearly won. Here Lieut. Colonel Henderson fell mor
tally wounded — an officer of the rarest qualities, admired
and loved while living, and deeply mourned while dead.
On the 21st the regiment again reached camp, and
rested until the 24th, when it was moved across the
Appomattox, into the intrenchments before Petersburg.
There it remained until September 28th, in severe duty
and under almost constant fire, when it was again a part
of the column which advanced north of the James. On
the 29th of September, the advance was made upon New
Market Heights, which were carried, and the troops con
tinued to advance, first to Laurel Hill, then up the
Darby town Road, to within three miles of Richmond,
thence Terry's division retiring, rested within intrench
ments at Laurel Hill.
On the 1st of October, Terry's division again advanc
ed toward Richmond on the Darbytown Road, and the
Seventh, which had been under command of Lieut.
Colonel Rollins for several days, Colonel Abbott being
again in command of the brigade, occupied the left of
the line of skirmishers, which advanced within two
miles of the rebel capital, under a severe fire of artillery,
and was one of the five regiments which had at that
time, and for some months afterward, advanced nearest
362 THE GREAT REBELLION.
to Richmond. Returning again that night, the regiment
rested until the 7th, when the enemy attacked furiously
General Berney's right at Laurel Hill. In that attack
the Seventh Regiment was in line, with no intrench-
ments before them, and with the rest of the Second
brigade of Terry's division, withstood nearly the whole
of the heavy onset of the rebel division under General
Field, driving them back, after a severe fight, with
heavy loss. The regiment rested until the 18th,
when it was again engaged in the reconnoissance on the
Darbytown Road, lasting during a day of sharp fighting.
On the 27th it was in another reconnoissance on the
Darbytown Road, lasting until night of the 28th, the
fighting being almost entirely on the skirmish line,
when it returned to camp.
The Seventh New Hampshire was one of the regi
ments selected for the expedition to New York City, on
the occasion of the Presidential election. On the 3d of
November it broke camp, marched to Deep Bottom,
and took transports for Fortress Monroe, where it
arrived on the evening of the 4th. The whole force
took transports and arrived at New York on the 7th,
and the Seventh disembarked at Fort Richmond. On
the morning of the 8th they were taken to the city,
lying on board the army transport, in East River, near
Fulton Ferry, three days, prepared for any emergency
which might arise to require their services. But they
were not called upon, and on the llth the Seventh
returned to Fort Richmond, and on the 14th re-em
barked, and returned to their old camp ground,, near
Laurel Hill, on the 17th, where the men at once com
menced erecting winter quarters. In December one
hundred and ninety-five men, having served their full
term of enlistment, were mustered out, and one hundred
and eleven recruits were received. These were most of
SE VENTH REGIMENT. 363
them substitutes, who had enlisted for the high bounties
then being paid, and thirty-five of them deserted during
the winter.
On the 4th of January, 1865, the Seventh Regiment
marched to Bermuda Hundred, and there embarked on
board transports and proceeded to Fortress Monroe, and
there received sealed orders to be opened off Cape
Henry. The orders directed that the fleet should ren
dezvous twenty-five miles off Beaufort, !N". C., and it was
then known that the expedition was a second trial
against Fort Fisher. On the morning of the 12th of
January the monitors and ironclads made their way
southward, followed by the frigates and gunboats, and
they by thirty transports. The next morning the con
tinuous mounds of Fort Fisher appeared in view. The
transports made the beach in a smooth sea, and General
Terry's force disembarked. The movements of the
troops have been given in the sketches of the Third and
Fourth Regiments, and need not be repeated here. The
brigade in which was the Seventh was not ordered up
until five o'clock in the afternoon. It did not enter the
fort until dark, and was not brought fairly into action
until ten o'clock. At that hour, the regiment com
manded by Lieut. Colonel Rollins, led the assault on the
sea angle of the fort, and half an hour later planted its
colors on the bastion of the surrendered work. While
innumerable rockets from the fleet lighted up the sky
to the eastward, cheer on cheer went up from the victo
rious troops within the fort. The Seventh, with one
other regiment, formed in line southward of the fort,
and pressed on toward battery Buchanan, which, with
about a thousand prisoners, soon surrendered, and
the whole of the immense fortifications, which had been
considered impregnable, fell into the possession of the
Union army.
After the conquest of Fort Fisher the Seventh was
364 THE GREAT REBELLION.
occupied in strengthening the works in front of Wil
mington, in making reconnoissances, an*d in picket duty,
until the 19th of February, when the enemy commenced
retiring and Terry to pursue. Reaching Wilmington
on the 22d, the enemy, dispirited and disheartened, was
still followed ten miles further, to a place called North
east Ferry. The regiment, with the rest of its brigade,
was then ordered back to Wilmington, and assigned to
the garrison of that place. Early in June it was sent
to Goldsborough, where it remained until ordered to
be discharged. The Regiment was mustered out of
the United States service on the 20th of July. At
Manchester they were received by the citizens with
many demonstrations of respect and given a warm wel
come by a large concourse of people. At Concord an
escort and refreshments awaited them, and Governor
Smyth, on behalf of the State, addressed the regiment,
thanking them for the good service they had performed
and the honor they had won. Three hundred and
twenty men and twenty-two officers returned. Of these
less than one hundred were among those who left the
State with the regiment in January, 1862. Of the orig
inal field and staff only one remained. The first
colonel and the second lieutenant colonel had fallen in
battle.
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 365
EIGHTH REGIMENT.
The Eighth Regiment £Tew Hampshire Volunteer
Infantry was raised simultaneously with the Sixth and
Seventh, and the men who enlisted to make up its
quota were paid the same bounty, ten dollars, by the
State as those in the five preceding ones had been paid.
The rendezvous was established at Manchester. Hawkes
Fearing, jr., was commissioned Colonel of this regiment
on the 24th of September, 1861. The companies went
into camp as fast as they were filled up, on the Fair
Ground north of the City. The encampment was
named " Camp Currier," in compliment to Hon. Moody
Currier, of Manchester, one of the members of the
Governor's Council, who had in various ways, officially
and individually, shown his patriotism in aiding and
encouraging enlistments for the war. The organization
was completed and the regiment mustered into the
United States service on the 23d of December, 1861.
The following is a list of the field, staff and company
officers of this regiment, while in the service, and the
oificial record of each :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONEL — Hawkes Fearing, jr., of Manchester.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Oliver W. Lull, of Milford.
Killed at Fort Hudson May 27, 1863.
George A. Flanders, of Sanbornton.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Majors — Morrill B. Smith, of Concord.
Resigned July 15, 1863.
Thomas Connolly, of Manchester.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865
366 THE GREAT REBELLION.
John K. Stokes, of Concord.
Honorably discharged May 25, 1864.
Adjutants — Orrin M. Head, of Exeter.
Honorably discharged March 19, 1864.
Thomas C. Prescott, of Stratford.
Promoted to Captain May 25, 1864.
James II. Marshall, of Nashua.
Transferred to Company C, Vet. Bat., 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
Quartermasters — Charles A. Putney, of Manchester.
Resigned August 20, 1862.
Charles A. Bo wen, of Concord.
Transferred to Company B, Vet. Bat., 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
Commissary — Tyler M. Shattuck.
Mustered out Sept. 15, 1864.
Surgeons — Samuel G. Dearborn, of Milford.
Resigned August 12, 1862.
Andrew J Thompson, of Laconia.
Resigned May 20, 1863
Ellery C. Clarke, of Hollis.
Honorably discharged Aug. 29, 1864.
Andrew J. Thompson, of Laconia.
Transferred to Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
Ass't Surgeons — William B. Reynolds.
Resigned Dec. 14, 1861.
Ellery C. Clarke, of Hollis.
Promoted to Surgeon June 5, 1863.
Charles B. Moulton, of Hopkinton.
Died at New Orleans, Aug. 24, 1864.
Hosea H. Smith, of Meredith.
Honorably discharged Aug. 7, 1863.
David P. Stowell, of Brookline.
Honorably discharged June 24, 1864.
Chaplain — Daniel P. Cilley, of Farmino-ton.
Transferred to Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Jan. 1, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — Henry G. Ciishinir.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Dec. 20, 1861.
Luther T. Hosley, of Pepperell, Mass.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Sept. 30, 1862.
James M. Blanchard, of Milford.
Discharged to accept pro. U. S. C. T. Sept. 2, 1863.
James H. Marshall, of Nashua.
Re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1864. Promoted to Adjutant Nov. 13, 1864.
Spencer Lane, of Sanhornton.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 367
Quartermaster Sergeants — William H. Morrill.
Reduced to ranks and assigned to Co. H, Sept 26, 1863.
Frank D. Woodbury, of Concord.
Muscered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — Ira A. Brown.
Discharged for disability July 8, 1862.
Tyler M. Shattuck, of Nashua.
Re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1864. Promoted to Second Lieut. March 1, 1864.
Edward W. Pillsbury, of Nashua.
Re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — Benjamin F. Emmons.
Promoted to First Lieut. 1st La. Cav. Aug. 9, 1863.
Henry N. Chapman, of Washington.
Re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Principal Musicians — William P. Munsey.
Discharged at Carrollton, La. Dec. 3, 1862.
Henry J. Durgin, of Laconia.
Re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1864. Captured at Sabine Cross Roads, La., April 8,
1864. Released Oct. 23, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Ezra D. Franklin, of Nashua.
Reduced to ranks and assigned to Co. E, Dec. 18, 1862.
James H. Marshall, of Nashua.
Promoted to Sergeant Major Sept. 2, 1863.
George II. Dunhar of Manchester.
Re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — William M. Barrett, of Nashua.
Discharged Oct. 24, 1863.
Dana W. King, of Nashua.
Transferred to Co. B, Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
First Lieuts. — John Q. A. Warren, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain April 14, 1862.
Dana W. King, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 16, 1863.
Second Lieuts — Dana W. King, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 14, 1862.
James L. Hardy, of Amherst.
Resigned Dec. 31, 1862.
Nestor Haines, of Nashua.
Resigned Sept. 2, 1868.
Nelson H. Peterson, of Nashua.
Transferred to Co. A, Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865
TEE GREAT REBELLION.
Co. B. — Captains— John Stanyan, of Milford.
Resigned Oct 16, 1863
George S. Eayrs, of Nashua.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
First Lieuts.— Charles II. Camp, of Milford.
Resigned Aug. 6, 1863
Daniel B. Newell, of Concord.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts.— George S. Eayrs, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 16, 1863.
George S. Cobbs, of Exeter.
Killed in action May 14, 1864.
Co. C.— Captains— Thomas Connolly, of Manchester.
Promoted to Major Dec. 16, 1863.
William J. Gannon, of Manchester.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
First Lieuts.— Cornelius Healy, jr., of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 28, 1862.
William J. Gannon, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain, Dec. 16 1863.
Lawrence Foley, of Manchester.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Wm. J. Gannon, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut Oct. 28, 1862.
William Jones, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged Dec. 28, 1863.
Lawrence Foley, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 22, 1864.
Co. D. — Captains — -Joseph J. Ladd, of Manchester.
Dismissed June 22, 1868. Disability from dismissal removed, Nov. 26,
1864.
First Lieuts.— Wm. E. Hubbard, of Manchester.
Dismissed Oct. 25, 1862.
Henry G. Gushing, of Manchester.
Resigned March 7, 1863.
Irving G. Wilkins, of Nashua.
Resigned Sept. 19, 1863.
George E. Messer, of Greenfield.
Honorably discharged Feb. 13, 1864.
James Miles, of Manchester.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — H. G. Cushing, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 30, 1862
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 369
Irving G. Wilkins, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut March 8, 1863.
George E. Messer, of Greenfield.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 16, 1863.
Newell O. Carr, of Epping.
Resigned May 26, 1864.
James Miles, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut Sept 1, 1864.
Newell 0. Carr, of Epping.
Promoted to First Lieut April 1, 1864.
Co. E. — Captains — Daniel M. Fisk, of Nashua.
Resigned April 12, 1862.
John Q. A. Warren, of Nashua.
Killed at Georgia Landing, La., Oct 27, 1862.
George F. Richardson, of Moulton borough.
Resigned Feb. 14, 1863.
Nathan H. Pierce, of Manchester.
Resigned Feb. 25, 1864.
James R. Newell, of Wolfe borough.
Transferred to Co. C, Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Tan. 2, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Aloiizo W. Putney, of Nashua.
"Resigned Dec. 4, 1862.
Nathan H. Pierce, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 15, 1863.
George W. Thompson, of Nashua.
Killed at Port Hudson, La., May 24, 1863.
William B. Ernerson, of Nashua.
Resigned Dec. 6, 1863.
William H. Barnes, of Nashua.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Nathan II. Pierce, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut Dec. 5, 1862.
George W. Thompson, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut Feb. 15, 1863.
William B. Ernerson, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut June 1, 1863.
William H. Barnes, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut Dec. 16, 1863.
James F. W. Fletcher, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. B, Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
Co. F. — Captains — George A. Flanders, of Sanbornton.
Promoted to Lieut Colonel Dec. 16, 1863.
Ezra B. Bell, of Laconia.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
370 THE GREAT REBELLION.
First Lieuts. — Ezra B. Bell, of Laconia,
Promoted U> Captain Dec. 16, 1863.
Joseph Wallace, of San born ton.
Killed at Port Hudson, La., June, 14, 1863.
William A. Beckford, of Salem.
Wounded May 17, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Cyrus S. Burpee, of Manchester.
Resigned Dec. 31, 1862.
Joseph Wallace, of Sanbornton
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 16, 1863.
William A. Beckford, of Salem.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 16, 1863.
Charles E. Howe, of Manchester.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Co. G. — Captains — Henry II. Huse, of Barnstead.
Honorably discharged Sept. 22, 1863.
Lyman Locke, of Biirrington.
Honorably discharged Sept. 29, 1864.
John li. Prescott, of Stratford.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Jacob C. Main, of Rochester.
Resigned March 3, 1863.
Lyman Locke, of Barrington.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 16, 1863.
Thomas C. Prescott, of Stratford.
Promoted to Adjutant April 1, 1864.
John II. Prescott, of Stratford.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 29, 1864.
Elijah H. Blaisdell.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Lyman Locke, of Barrinirton.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 4, 1863.
John F. Greenwood, of Barnstead.
Killed April 13, 1863.
Thomas C. Prescott, of Strafford.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 16, 1863.
John H. Prescott, of Strafford.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 1, 1864.
John II. Marshall, of Xashmi.
Promoted to Adjutant Sept. 1, 1864.
Co. II. — Captains — Aaron G. Estabrook, of Concord.
Resigned Sept. 29, 1862,
Benjamin F. Wells, of Lisbon.
Resigned Dec. 31, 1862.
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 371
John K. Stokes, of Concord.
Promoted to Major Jan. 1, 1864.
Thomas C. Prescott, of Strafford.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Benjamin F. Wells, of Lisbon.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 30, 1862.
John K. Stokes, of Concord.
T Promoted to Captain Jan. 3, 1863.
Luther ^. Hosley, of Nashua.
Wounded May 27, 1863. Killed at Port Hudson, La. June 14, 1863.
James M. Langley, of Concord.
Resigned Feb. 26, 1864.
Edward K. Russ, of Lisbon.
Honorably discharged Aug. 23, 1864.
John C. French, of Concord.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John Iv. Stokes, of Concord.
-j«- Promoted to First Lreut. Sept. 30, 1862.
Luther ^. Hosley, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 3, 1863.
James M. Langley, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 15, 1863.
John C. French, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut., Aug. 23, 1864.
Co. I. — Captains — Elphonzo G. Colby, of Wolfeborough.
Discharged May 5, 1863.
James H. Landers, of Concord.
Transferred to Co. A, Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
First Lieuts. — G. F. Richardson, of Moultonboro'.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 28, 1862.
James H. Landers, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain May 6, 1863.
James R. Newell, of Wolfeborough.
Promoted to Captain June 22, 1864.
George B. Johnson, of Farmington.
Transferred to Co. A, Veteran Battalion, 8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — James H. Landers, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 28, 1862.
James R. Newell, of AVolfeborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. ^May 6, 1863.
George B. Johnson, of Farmington.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 22, 1864.
Co. K. — Captains — John Kelleher, of Manchester.
Killed at LabadievUle, La., Oct. 27, 1862.
372 THE GREA T REBELLION.
Cornelius Healey, Jr., of Manchester.
Honorably discharged Nov. 3, 1864
First Lieuts. — Robert Swiney, of Manchester.
Committed suicide at Berwick City, La., April 9, 1863-
Michael O'Grady, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged March 14, 1864.
Frank H. Connor.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Michael O'Grady, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. April iv, 1863.
Patrick Doherty, of Nashua.
Honorably discharged March 7, 1864.
John Nolan.
Transferred to Co. C, Veteran Battalion, *8th N. H. V., Jan. 2, 1865.
When the war of the rebellion broke out, in April,
1861, Colonel Fearing was engaged in a considerable
mercantile business at Manchester. Early in September,
1861, he was tendered the command of the Eighth New
Hampshire Regiment Volunteer Infantry, which he
accepted, and was commissioned by the Governor on
the 24th of that month. He organized his regiment at
Manchester, took it to the field, and remained with it,
either in immediate command of the regiment or the
brigade of which it formed a part, during the whole
three years term of its enlistment, except when detailed
for temporary duty elsewhere. For some time previous
and at the assault on Port Hudson, on the 27th of May,
1863, Colonel Fearing was in command of the brigade,
on which occasion he exhibited coolness and bravery,
and handled his command, which made a most gallant
charge, with much skill. Had his brigade been sup
ported by other troops, Port Hudson would undoubtedly
have fallen into the hands of the Union army at that
time, instead of five or six weeks later. While the
Eighth Regiment was at Natchez, Miss., during the fall
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 373
and winter of 1864, Colonel Fearing was on duty as
chief of staff at General Brayman's headquarters. The
term of service of the regiment expired on the 23d of
December, 1864, shortly after which the original mem
bers, who had not re-enlisted, and a majority of the offi
cers, under the command of Colonel Fearing, returned
to New Hampshire and were discharged, Colonel Fear
ing being mustered out on the 18th of January, 1865.
He was an intelligent, active, faithful and popular officer,
and enjoyed the respect and confidence of soldiers, and
officers of every grade. After being discharged from
the service Colonel Fearing returned to mercantile
pursuits, and is interested in an establishment at Man
chester, and another in Massachusetts.
LIEUT. COLONEL OLIVER WOODBURY LULL.
Lieut. Colonel Lull, of the Eighth Regiment New
Hampshire Volunteers, was another in the long list of
noble and brave men from the State who fell while gal
lantly fighting to uphold the stars and stripes. He was
born in "VVeare, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire,
on the 14th of January, 1826. He attended the public
schools of his native town, at intervals, until eighteen
years of age, when in 1844, he removed to Manchester,
entered the high school in that city, and passed through
a thorough academic course of study. On account of
limited means he was obliged to abandon his most
fond hopes of a collegiate course. Soon after leaving
the Manchester high school he engaged for a time in
teaching at Framingham, Mass., and subsequently com
menced reading law there, and completed the course in
the office of Hon. David Cross, of Manchester. He was
admitted to the bar of Hillsborough County, in May,
1851, and soon after removed to Milford, where he
established himself in the practice of his profession, and
374 THE GREAT REBELLION.
for his perseverance and industry was rewarded with a
good business. •
•Lieut. Colonel Lull had always had considerable taste
for military duty, and manifested quite an interest in
the Volunteer Militia of the State. He became a mem
ber of the Governor's Horse Guards, soon after its
organization, and in January, 1861, was elected one of
its Lieutenants. When the war broke out he aided in
various ways the enlistment of men for the different
regiments, and finally on the 1st of October, 1861, was
commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Eighth Regi
ment, and at once entered upon the duty of recruiting
and organizing that regiment, and went with it to the
field. To speak particularly of his service while with
that regiment, would be but a repetition of its history.
He was always faithful to his duty and to his country,
fearless of consequences to himself, cool and gallant in
battle, and considerate of his men in field and camp,
and commanded their highest respect. In the actions of
Bisland, Georgia Landing, Labadieville and Opelousas,
he displayed great courage and heroism.
At the time of the terrible assault upon the fortifica
tions of Port Hudson, on the 27th of May, 1863, Lieut.
Colonel Lull was temporarily serving on the staff of
General Emery, but Colonel Fearing being in charge of
a brigade, he voluntarily returned and took command
of his own men. The Eighth Regiment was among the
forces at the head of the column when the advance was
ordered, and with unequalled heroism the brave men
charged directly upon the rebel forces. The conflict
was desperate, but at length the enemy began to retreat
with heavy loss. Lieut. Colonel Lull was constantly at
the head of his command, and the fourth rebel line had
just been passed, when in the act of cheering his men
he fell pierced with a rebel rifle ball. The wound
though very severe was not instantly fatal. He was
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 375
immediately carried to the rear where after a few hours
of intense suffering he expired. His body was carried
to New Orleans and placed in a receiving tomb, and
there remained until the following autumn, when it was
brought home to Milford for burial. The funeral ser
vices were held ^November 17th, in the church where
the deceased was accustomed to worship, the building
being filled to its utmost capacity with sorrowing kin
dred and friends. A detachment of the Governor's
Horse Guards was present and performed military hon
ors. Hon. David Cross, of Manchester, made an address,
relating many incidents in the life of the deceased.
The remains were deposited in the village cemetary, and
his grave will long be remembered and honored as that
of a man who nobly sacrificed his life for his country.
While in the service Lieut. Colonel Lull discharged
many important and responsible duties. For a time
he served upon the staff of General Weitzel, and after
ward for several months on that of General Emery, in
both of which positions he won the highest respect and
confidence of his superior officers. Before leaving the
State he was presented by his friends with a valuable
horse and sword as testimonials of their regard. In
a letter to his wife Lieut. Colonel Lull wrote : " I wish
much to see you all, but I cannot leave my command.
There is a great work before us, and I have no desire
to "go from the field until it is accomplished. If my
life is spared till the rebellion is overcome, how much
happier you will be to think that in my humble way
I was instrumental in restoring the country to peace
and prosperity." * On the morning preceding his death,
before the battle opened, he wrote in his diary : " In
one hour we commence the storming of Port Hudson.
Many of us will not see another day. If I shall be one
of that number, I will have done my duty."
376 THE GREAT REBELLION.
The Eighth Regiment left Camp Currier, Manchester,
on the 24th of January, 1862, in the iflidst of a driving
snow storm, for Fort Independence, Boston Harbor.
They were hospitably received and entertained at Fan-
euil Hall, Boston, by the authorities of the city, and
arrived at Fort Independence the next day. The regi
ment remained there three weeks, drilling and waiting
transportation, when on the 15th of February six com
panies, under command of Col. Fearing, embarked on
the ship E. Wilder Farley, for Ship Island, Mississippi,
the rendezvous of General Butler's expedition, and were
followed a few days after by the four remaining com
panies, under command of Lieut. Colonel Lull, on the
ship Eliza and Ella. After a long and tedious voyage
the Farley arrived at Ship Island on the 15th, and the
Eliza and Ella on the 27th of March.
Forts Jackson and St. Philip having fallen before
the irresistible valor of the navy, under the gallant
Farragut, it remained for the army to follow up and
complete the victory, by the occupation of New Orleans.
The large part of General Butler's force was conveyed
from Ship Island up the Mississippi river ; the remain
der were to approach the city by way of Lake Ponchar-
train. The Eighth New Hampshire were of this latter
force, and four companies of the regiment were the
first to seize and occupy Forts Wood and Pike, by
which the entrance to the Lake was defended — -the
rebels retreating precipitately on the approach of the
expedition.
The summer of 1862 was spent by the regiment at
Camp Parapet, Louisiana, performing the usual routine
of camp duty. The location was very malarious and
unhealthy, from which the regiment suffered severely,
its ranks being decimated by disease and death. In
October the Eighth formed a part of General Weitzel's
expedition to expel the rebels from the occupation of the
EIGHTH REGIMENT 377
district of Lafourche — one of the most productive and
wealthy sections of Louisiana. The troops were con
veyed up the Mississippi on steamers, and landed at
Donaldsonville, at the head of Bayou Lafourche. From
this Point the Union troops moved down the Bayou,
the Eighth with a squadron of cavalry and two pieces
of artillery, marching on the right bank of the stream,
the remainder of the troops upon the left. With the
exception of a night skirmish between the pickets of
the Eighth and a scouting party of rebel cavalry, no
opposition was met with, until a little beyond the village
of Labadieville, the enemy were discovered in force
under General Morton, advantageously posted on both
sides of the Bayou, sheltered by a hedge and ditch.
Companies E and F were deployed as skirmishers, to
ascertain the position of the enemy. Soon the sharp
crack of their rifles told that they had discovered them,
and that the action had commenced. Almost at the
first fire the gallant Captain Warren was killed — the
first man in the regiment to fall in action. General
Weitzel threw reinforcements across the Bayou, and the
line advanced upon the enemy, the Eighth in the van.
A short but sharp conflict ensued, ending in a charge
which scattered the rebels in confusion, many being
killed and wounded, arid about three hundred taken
prisoners, and one piece of artillery and a large number
of small arms captured. Being in the advance, and the
first to charge the enemy's batteries, the Eighth suffered
more severely than all the other regiments engaged,
losing sixteen killed and forty-six wounded — among the
former being the brave Captain Killiher, who fell at the
head of his men in the charge. No further opposition
was encountered, the enemy having evacuated the
Laroufche country and crossed over Berwick Bay into
Attakapas.
The next day but one after this affair, the Eighth,
378 THE GREAT REBELLION.
with a squadron of cavalry and a section of artillery,
were sent under command of Colonel Fearing to take
possession of New Orleans and Opelousas Railway. At
Tigersville, Louisiana, the expedition captured an im
mense quantity of sugar which the rebels had been
obliged to abandon upon the advance of the Union
forces. On reconnoitering the railroad it was found
that a bridge about one hundred and twenty feet long,
across Ba}rou Boauf, had been destroyed, while a mile
of the track was covered with the ruins of engines and
cars, burned to prevent their falling into the hands of
the Union troops. Yankee skill and ingenuity were
called into requisition, a detail was made from the regi
ment, the bridge rebuilt, the track relaid, an engine put
in running order, and in one week trains were passing
over the road, bringing stores and ammunition from
New Orleans, ninety-three miles distant.
During the winter of 1862-63 Lieut. Colonel Lull was
detached as Provost Judge of the Parish of Lafourche,
with Company B as provost guard. In the spring of
1863 the regiment took part in General Banks' demon
stration against Port Hudson, at the termination of
which the troops were rapidly conveyed to Brasher City,
and the campaign through central Louisiana, which
terminated in the investment and capture of Port Hud
son, commenced. The enemy, under General Dick
Taylor, were first encountered in force, at Camp Bis-
land, on Bayou Teche, intrenched behind breastworks,
mounting heavy guns and aided by an iron-clad gunboat
on the Bayou. On the 13th and 15th of April the
battle of Camp Bisland was fought, resulting in the
hasty retreat of the rebels, a large number of whom
were killed and wounded ; the capture of ten pieces of
artillery, two colors, and two thousand prisoners, and
the destruction of the gunboat and three transports.
In this engagement the regiment was advanced within
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 379
two hundred yards of the works, sheltered by a shallow
ditch from the ceaseless storm of ball, grape and shell
that filled the air, not only from the enemy's works in
front, but from the Union batteries in the rear. So
close was the fire that the bullets constantly struck the
bayonets that projected above the edge of the ditch,
and the lance that ornamented the flag-staff was carried
away by a fragment of shell. The loss of the regiment in
this encounter was only two killed and nine wounded —
their close proximity to the enemy and the shelter of
the ditch saving the men from the effects of the terrible
fire.
In the march of two hundred and thirty miles to
Alexandria, Louisiana, the regiment suffered severely
from the heat, dust, and want of water, but bore these
hardships so cheerfully as to elicit frequent commenda
tions from the commanding general. When General
Banks transferred his forces from Red River to the east
bank of the Mississippi, preparatory to the attack on
Port Hudson, the Eighth regiment was among the first
to arrive at and invest that celebrated strong-hold.
PORT HUDSON.
Port Hudson proper is merely a landing at the foot
of the bluff, on the top of which were a few houses and
a church. This bluff, like many others along the river,
had been fortified with an extensive earthwork, encir
cling it from the river above to the river below; and
for a quarter of a mile in front the heavy forest trees
had been felled and made into an almost impenetrable
abattis, or slashing, at the same time affording free range
for the guns of the enemy. On the top of the bluff
were the batteries commanding the river, to hold which
scores of similar though not so extensive works had
been erected all along from Vicksburg to Port Hudson,
380 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and into the latter had been driven by the Union army
about seven thousand rebels, under command of General
Gardner. The capture of these and the works they
held was the object aimed at. The number of the be
sieging army was said to be about twenty-two thousand
effective men, with a hundred and and fifty pieces of
artillery. The plan of attack was to open with the
artillery at daylight, and for the infantry to advance at
the same time and drive the outlying rebels inside their
works, and enter them, if possible. The attacking
party was formed in five lines, with distances of thirty
paces, and the starting point a mile and a half from the
works — the rebels lying in the woods between.
Colonel Fearing was in command of the Second
Brigade, Third Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, and
the Eighth Regiment formed a part of his brigade.
Lieut. Colonel Lull had returned to the regiment from
his long detail on staff duty. The night before the
assault, made on the 27th of May, 1863, the regiment
bivouacked in the woods within rifle-shot of the concealed
but watchful enemy. At dawn, after a hasty breakfast,
ammunition was distributed and all preparations for
the assault made. The Eighth was posted on the right
center, in the second line of battle. The order to
advance was given, the enemy soon encountered, and
fighting commenced. Shot and shell, grape and can
ister, crashed through the woods from the batteries
on either side, and the rebels, from behind stumps and
trees, replied to the volleys of musketry delivered by
the Union advancing lines. The first line was soon
broken and scattered by the withering fire of the enemy,
and Colonel Fearing's brigade was ordered to charge.
With a wild yell the line swept forward as fast as possi
ble over the bodies of the fallen — the Eighth New
Hampshire and the Fourth Wisconsin moving shoulder
to shoulder, driving the rebels through the woods, over
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 381
their outer works, across the slashing and broken
ground in front of the elaborate defenses of Port
Hudson ; many of the men advancing into the ditch,
planting the regimental colors on the very walls, and
slaughtering the rebel gunners as they endeavored to
work their pieces. Supports failed to come up, and
the most advanced troops were compelled to withdraw
to a more sheltered position, whence all day they poured
such a deadly fire on the works that the guns were
silenced, and all who attempted to near them were cut
down the instant they appeared. It was a most gallant
charge, though it did not accomplish all that was de
sired, and the success gained was achieved with fearful
loss. The Eighth suffered more than any other regi
ment in the army; the Fourth Wisconsin, which fought
next the Eighth in line, being next in order. The
slaughter was terrific, much of the fighting being hand
to hand. The Tenth Arkansas, rebel regiment, which
occupied the position in front of the ]S~ew Hampshire
Eighth, was almost annihilated. Lieut Colonel Lull
fell mortally wounded, by a minnie ball, early in the
charge, while cheering on his men. His loss was deep
ly deplored. Captain Flanders and Lieutenants Jones
and Langley were wounded. All of the color guard,
excepting a single corporal, were killed or wounded;
but the gallant survivor kept fast hold of his flag, and
planted it triumphantly on the outer slope of the works,
where it remained till night, riddled with grape, canister
and bullets. The number taken into the fio;ht was two
O
hundred and ninety-eight, and of these one hundred
and twenty-four were killed or wounded.
From this time followed the usual events of a siege.
A constant fire was kept up between the pickets, and
many men were killed on both sides. Lieut. Geo. W.
Thompson was killed while in the rifle pits, two days
382 THE GREAT REBELLION.
after the assault. The regimental return for May
showed three hundred and seventeen* men present for
duty.
On the 12th of June the following order was issued:
HEADQUARTERS THIRD DIVISION, \
Before Port Hudson, June 12th, 1863. /
GENERAL ORDERS : No. 64.
COLUMN OF ATTACK.
Eighth New Hampshire, Fourth Wisconsin, as skirmish
ers, intervals two paces.
Five companies, Fourth Massachusetts and One Hun
dred and Tenth New York, with hand grenades.
Four companies from Third brigade, with 400 cotton
bags.
Third Brigade.
Second Brigade.
First Brigade.
50 Pioneers, to level parapet for artillery.
Nims' Battery.
1. The hand grenade men carry their pieces on their
backs, and carry each one grenade. They march three
paces in rear of their line of skirmishers. Having
thrown their grenades they go on as skirmishers.
2. The cotton-bag bearers march at the head of
column, two ^hundred paces in rear of skirmishers.
They fill the ditch to company front. Having deposited
the bags, they take arms, and march at the head of
column.
3. The whole movement will be in quick time; no
double-quick ; but in case tbe skirmishers encounter
batteries which they can take by a double-quick ad
vance, they will move in that step.
4. The skirmishers will clamber upon the parapet,
followed by the hand grenades, which will be thrown
over into the works as soon as the skirmishers are on
the outer slope of the parapets. The skirmishers will
then rush in and gain ground forward, fighting, lying
down, etc., according to circumstances.
5. As soon as the column is within the works, each
brigade will form line of battle, and lie down until the
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 383
artillery is brought up, unless circumstances should
necessitate different orders.
6. Each regimental commander will read these instruc
tions to his command, and will carefully explain to his
own troops their particular duties.
7. Each regiment, when forming in the night, will
move silently, the officers speaking in a low tone.
8. The men will carry two days' rations of hard bread
in their haversacks, forty rounds of ammunition in their
cartridge-boxes, and twenty rounds in their pockets.
The knapsacks will be left in camp under a guard of
convalescents.
By command of Brigadier General Paine,
GEORGE W. DURGIN, A. A. A. G.
Official: E. B. BELL, A. A. A. G.
The storming column was formed in accordance with
the foregoing order, behind a hedge, about eight
hundred yards from the works, and separated from them
by an uneven open field. When within eighty yards of
the works sheets of flame ran around the parapet, and
the cannon poured in their double shotted charges of
canister cutting through the ranks of the column like
hail in a field of ripe wheat. Yet they advanced at a
double-quick until the rebels, thinking the day lost,
began to retire from their guns. Cheered by the hope
of victory the iSTew Hampshire Eighth and Fourth Wis
consin scaled the parapets, and had the supports come
up promptly the place would have been captured.
Many of these, however, w^ere nine months men, and
they halted, wavered, and finally fell back, leaving the
handful of brave men to the mercy of the besieged,
who now rallied and captured all who had entered the
work, and poured a murderous fire into the remnant
remaining in front, who escaped, if they escaped at all,
by crawling back into the ditches and ravines. General
Paine wTas shot through the leg early in the action, and
could not be moved from the field till after dark. To
384 THE GREAT REBELLION.
his wound may perhaps in a great measure be attributed
the failure of the attack. The Eighth was commanded
by Captain Barrett. It was reported to have entered the
fight with two hundred and seventeen men, and to have
lost one hundred and twenty-two. Capt. J. M. Stanyan
was wounded and taken prisoner. Lieuts. Wallace,
Hosley and Newell were missing. Captain Flanders
and Lieuts. Gannon, Locke, Prescott, and O'Grady,
were all wounded. No flag of truce was allowed by
the rebels for three days, and nothing could be known
of the condition of the wounded lying between the
lines. The rebels refused to allow the Union stretcher-
bearers to go upon the field, and scores of poor fellows
perished of thirst, under the scorching sun, who might
have been saved. On the 17th the stench from the
putrefying corpses had become so intolerable to the
enemy that they raised a white flag, and proposed to
pick up the Union dead and wounded and deliver them
at a given point. This was accepted, and one hundred
and thirteen dead and one wounded were brought in,
most of them so discolored as to be unrecognizable.
The siege was continued, the Union works being
constantly advanced, until the 4th of July, when Vicks-
burg surrendered. Dispatches were received from
General Grant, announcing the grand result at the
headquarters of General Banks, on the morning of the
7th, and soon the joyful news was communicated to
every regiment, battalion and detachment in the army.
General Banks issued a general order, directing a salute
of one hundred shotted guns to be fired from each
battery, and ordering all the regimental bands to as
semble at his headquarters at noon. The salutes were
fired and two hundred instruments performed some of
our most stirring melodies, and there were other demon
strations of joy, which the rebels at Port Hudson did
not understand. They soon, however, learned of the
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 385
surrender of Yicksburg through the Union troops,
doubting the truth of which General Gardner the next
day sent a flag of truce to ascertain if the report was
indeed true. General Banks returned official copies
of General Grant's dispatches, upon receipt of which
the rebel commander, Gardner, again sent out to know
upon what terms General Banks would receive his
surrender. Terms were arranged and Port Hudson
was surrendered on the 9th of July. The scenes and
ceremonies attending the surrender and transfer of the
second great strategic point on our vast continental
river to its rightful owners, were most imposing. From
morning till high noon was seen the grand and tri
umphal march of the Union victorious columns, treading
with joyous steps the paths to that famous place. In
the column the New Hampshire Eighth was assigned
to a position of honor, in recognition of the gallant
service it had performed in the siege, and was further
complimented by assignment to a camping ground on
that high bluff midway of the river front, and directly
under the stars and stripes it had done so much to
defend. The rebel General Gardner surrendered his
sword to General Andrews ; unwilling hands lowered
the banner of secession ; a squad of sailors from the
fleet drew up to the same point the glorious stars and
stripes ; salutes and cheers were given with a will,
and the Mississippi river, from its mouth to its source,
was free !
On the 22d of August the Eighth marched back to
Baton Rouge. On the way two of the men were gob
bled up by the rebel cavalry, they having stopped to
bring along a disabled wagon. The regiment remained
in camp north of the capital city of Louisiana, where
it continued until the 2d of September, when it embarked
on transports and sailed with an expedition to Sabine
Pass, Texas, at the mouth of the Sabine river. The pass
386 THE GREAT REBELLION.
was defended by heavy guns, by which was disabled the
two gunboats Sachem and Clifton, anct the rebels made
prisoners of all on board, numbering about one hundred
and eighty men. After some further mishaps the object
of the expedition was abandoned and it returned to New
Orleans. About the middle of September the Eighth
returned to Camp Bisland — the old battle ground of the
13th of April.
Colonel Fearing was absent with two or three officers
for the purpose of bringing on conscripts, and Captain
Flanders, who had been promoted to Lieut. Colonel,
was in command of the regiment. Early in October
they moved to Opelousas ; and in December were
ordered to Franklin, where the regiment was mounted
and the name of the organization changed to the Second
New Hampshire Cavalry. They were armed with
sabers, carbines and revolvers, and drilled in the ordi
nary cavalry tactics. During the month Colonel Fear
ing returned with upward of three hundred and fifty
recruits for the regiment. On the 4th of January, 1864,
two hundred and nineteen of the old men re-enlisted,
and without the usual thirty days' furlough they were
ordered at once into the field.
At the commencement of the Red River campaign,
the Eighth, with the rest of the cavalry division — about
fifteen thousand men — marched from New Orleans to
Alexandria — three hundred and eighty miles — where
they joined General A. J. Smith's forces, who had
ascended the river. The Second New Hampshire Cav
alry, as the regiment was now designated, was brigaded
with five regiments under Colonel Davis. From Alexan
dria the cavalry pushed the enemy's rear-guard closely,
having quite a skirmish at Natchitoches, where the regi
ment charged through the streets of the town, killing
and capturing a number of the enemy.
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 387
On the 8th of April the cavalry came unexpectedly
upon the enemy at Sabine Cross Roads, where the
Second New Hampshire Cavalry at once charged on a
brigade and put them to flight. This movement un
masked two divisions of rebel infantry, but they, ap
parently bewildered by the very audacity of the move
ment, allowed the regiment to escape unmolested. In
the action which followed, a part of the regiment was
dismounted and deployed as skirmishers in front of the
infantry. These were nearly all captured, numbering
forty-seven men — together with Captain Dana "W. King,
whose horse was shot in the charge — and were carried
to the famous prison pen at Tyler, Texas, where they
suffered the common lot of Union prisoners of war for
several months. A disastrous battle followed, after
which the regiment covered the retreat of the infantry,
almost continually skirmishing with the enemy. On the
march from Alexandria to Morganzia, the regiment saw
its hardest experience. Skirmishing by day and march
ing by night to reach the army whose retreat it was
following, without sleep or rest, both men and horses
were well nigh exhausted. In one of the numerous
skirmishes with the rebels, Lieut. Cobbs, of Company B,
was captured, dismounted and disarmed ; but before he
aould be taken to the rear, the regiment made a counter
charge to recapture him. Seeing that he was about to
be lost to them, a rebel officer shot him with his own
pistol. His body fell into the hands of his regiment,
and was buried on the banks of the Red river.
At Yellow Bayou, on the 17th of May, the brigade
was attacked by about six thousand of the enemy, and
were nearly surrounded. They succeeded in cutting
their way out by presenting a bold front, and by un
daunted courage. At Bayou de Glace, where they
stopped to build a bridge over the Atchafalaya river,
they were fiercely attacked by the enemy, under General
388 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Dick Taylor. The enemy were resolutely met and quick
ly routed, losing two hundred and fifty prisoners and two
pieces of artillery, and did not afterward disturb the
Union army on its march. During the whole of the
campaign the Second New Hampshire Cavalry lost
ninety-six men killed, wounded and missing. Lieuts.
Bickford, Newhall and Haskins were wounded in the
last two fights.
After arriving at Morganzia the regiment was ordered
to New Orleans, to proceed on its veteran furlough.
The re-enlisted men started up the Mississippi on the
llth, and arrived at Concord on the 23d of July, where
they met with a warm reception. They remained at
home until the 29th of August, when they started for
Louisiana, and joined their comrades at Camp Parapet,
and were soon ordered to Natchez, Miss., where they
remained during the fall, doing picket and garrison
duty. While stationed here a detachment of the regi
ment, under command of 'Major Connolly, participated
in an expedition into Louisiana, capturing large quanti
ties of stores and provisions, and bringing in many
horses and mules.
Late in the fall the regiment was ordered into Fort
McPherson — an extensive earth-work, commanding the
o
city and its approaches. Here the men constructed
comfortable winter quarters, cook-houses, etc., out of
the debris of houses pulled down to give range to the
guns ; and the regiment had time for putting their
clothing and equipments in good order, and soon pre
sented so fine an appearance as to elicit the high com
mendations of inspecting officers.
The time of service of the regiment expired on the
23d of December, 1864, shortly after which the non-
veterans, and a majority of the officers, under command
of Colonel Fearing, were ordered home to be mustered
but of service. They reached Concord early in January,
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 389
1865, were handsomely welcomed by the State author
ities, mustered out, paid, and the regimental organiza
tion of the Eighth New Hampshire Volunteers ceased
to exist.
VETEKAN BATTALION.
At the expiration of the original term o'f the Eighth
Regiment, there remained in service three hundred
c">
and five veteran volunteers, and recruits joined sub
sequent to the original muster-in of the regiment.
These, under regulation of the War Department, were
organized into three companies of the maximum
strength, and designated the " Veteran Battalion,
Eighth New Hampshire Volunteers." Though there
was no regimental organization, Surgeon Andrew J.
Thompson was retained in the service to attend to the
health of the battalion. The command dates its organ
ization from January 1st, 1865. Captain Landers
assumed command of the battalion by virtue of su
periority of rank.
On the 9th of January the battalion was ordered
to Vidalia, on the Louisiana shore, directly opposite
Natchez. The post was commanded by Brigadier General
M. Brayman — Lieut. Marshall, of the Veteran Battalion,
being his adjutant general. The defenses of Vidalia
consisted of a square redoubt, with bastions at the
inland angles, inclosing the court house and jail of the
parish, which were used for officers' quarters and for
the storage of quartermaster's and ordnance stores.
The work mounted four ten pounder rifles and two
howitzers, and was garrisoned by the Veteran Battalion,
390 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
a squadron of the New Jersey Cavalry, and a section
of artillery. All the territory in federal possession was
included in a picket line two miles in length, curving
in a semi-circle from the river to the river again. In
the stream, a little above the fort, lay the huge iron-clad
Benton, whose hundred-pounders and eleven-inch Dahl-
grens commanded a wide sweep of country in rear of
the post. The nearest post of the enemy was at Har-
risonburg, about forty miles distant, with an outpost at
Trinity, twenty-five miles from Yidalia. The country
between was a sort of " debatable ground," being raided
over by either party in turn. The Union forces would
sweep the rebel plantations along Black river of all
the horses, mules and corn that could be found, while
small parties of the enemy would make midnight forays
upon the government lessees, most of whom were
northern men, who trusting to their contiguity to the
Federal lines for protection, had engaged in cotton-
planting around Vidalia. The rebel jay-hawkers would
plunder them and shoot them down remorselessly. On
one occasion a party of sixty of these rebel marauders
dashed ihto a plantation within plain sight of the post,
upon which was a picket of a sergeant and six men of
the Veteran Battalion. The sergeant drew up his little
force in line of battle across the road, arid as the enemy
came charging down, received them with a volley from
his six rifles, which sent them precipitately to the "right
about." Plunder and not fighting being their object,
they retreated at the slightest show of resistance.
These raids became quite frequent during the month
of February, but the enemy never ventured to attack
the post.
It being ascertained that most of the raiding and
plundering about Vidalia was done by deserters from
the rebel army east of the Mississippi, who were living
dt their homes along Black river, and subsisting upon
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 391
the spoils of their guerilla warfare, General Brayman
decided to send out a party to kill or capture them if
possible ; or at any rate to seize their horses and mules,
which would deprive them of the means of carrying on
their depredations. By his order, on the 4th of Febru
ary, Captain James R. Newell, of Company C, with a
party of fifteen men, mounted for the occasion, started
for Black river. They were accompanied by four scouts,
Union men of the south, who, hunted like wild beasts,
their crops and buildings burned, and their wives and
children turned houseless into the woods to starve, had
entered the Union service. These scouts were clad in
"rebel gray," armed to the teeth; and, being rendered
desperate by their grievances, had sworn never to be
taken alive, all preparations having been made, the party
started from Yidalia before daylight, and striking across
the fields, the little cavalcade entered the wooded swamp
which skirts the strip of cultivated land along the river,
guided only by the compass, and marks upon trees —
unnoticeable by ordinary observers, but easily seen and
recognized by the keen-eyed scouts. The party at last
reached Black river where it empties into Red river,
and commenced operations, and, swooping down upon
the haunts of the guerillas, captured their horses and
horse equipments ; but the guerillas themselves escaped
by plunging into the swamp. Two or three of these
rebel rendezvous were broken np in as many days, when
one of the scouts, who, in his rebel gray had ridden
out toward Harrisonburg, returned with the intelligence
that their movements were known to the rebel com
mander, and that a force of about three hundred rebel
cavalry were in hot pursuit, So, leaving Black river,
Captain Newell struck into the swamp once more, driv
ing before the party the captured stock, and heading for
Vidalia. A furious rain-storm set in, and soon the
rising water warned them that an overflow of the Mis-
392 THE GREAT REBELLION.
sissippi was at hand, and that their only safety lay in
reaching higher ground. The water rose rapidly until
it reached the men's styrrups; the enemy behind, the
flood for miles before and around them, they splashed
on in silence through the gloomy forest, always dark in
the sunniest days, now doubly so that the sky was over
cast and the air filled with sheets of driving rain. It
was at this time that the scouts' knowledge of the coun
try saved the whole party. Guided by them they
arrived at nightfall on a ridge of land in the midst of
the swamps, ten miles from any clearing or human
habitation. Here they bivouacked, and passed a most
miserable and uncomfortable night, in a pelting rain,
without shelter, and almost entirely destitute of food
for man or horse. The water continued to rise through
the next day, but toward night the rain slackened, and
Captain Newell, with one of the scouts, set out to dis
cover some means of escape from the watery blockade.
They pushed out into the water, which grew deeper and
deeper until the houses had to swim. Finally the scout's
horse gave out, sank and was drowned, while he took
to a log. Captain Jewell's horse began to show signs
of failing strength, when he threw oft* his saber, pistol,
boots and overcoat, and plunging into the water seized
his horse's mane, and after an hour's swimming the
noble animal landed him again upon the ridge, when he
fell insensible to the ground — the blood rushing from
his nostrils from the violence of his exertions. He was
taken to the fire and resuscitated. The darkness
rendered a search for the scout that night impracticable.
At daylight next morning Captain Newell and two men
started out and found him a mile and a half from the
ridge, clinging to the log almost lifeless, from cold and
exhaustion. He was rescued and carried to the ridge,
where he was taken care of and restored. The men,
being upon the verge of starvation, killed a horse and a
EIGHTH REGIMENT. 393
mule, and feasted upon steaks and cutlets, seasoned with
gunpowder in lieu of salt. After another day passed
on the ridge, the swamp being still impassable, it was
determined to make a bold push for the Union lines by
the nearest road, which after some sharp practice and
amusing adventures they reached on the 10th, having
been absent six days.
On the 6th of March the battalion returned to
Natchez, where they were engaged in provost duty.
They soon became the favorites of the commanding
general, J. W. Davidson, an old regular army officer,
through whose exertions they were fitted out with new
uniforms, shoulder scales, etc., in which the battalion
presented quite a holiday appearance. During the
month of March a detachment from the battalion pro
ceeded by steamboat to Games' Landing, about twenty-
five miles up the river from whence they marched into
the interior and captured a rebel depot of supplies and
a few prisoners. Lieut. George B. Johnson was detailed
as assistant provost marshal of Natchez, and Lieut.
John J. Nolan to command the military prison.
On the reception of the news of the surrender of
Lee's army and the capture of Richmond, a general
illumination of the city and a torch-light procession
were ordered by the provost marshal. Both were grand,
and the right of the column was assigned to the Veteran
Battalion. In May Surgeon A. J. Thompson was as
signed to duty as surgeon in charge of the district,
which position he occupied until the command was
mustered out. Captain James H. Landers was detached
as assistant commissary of musters, leaving Captain
James R. Newell in command of the battalion. On
the 5th of June Lieut. Charles A. Bowen, of Company
B, formerly regimental quartermaster of the old organ
ization, was detached as post quartermaster at Natchez,
394 THE GREAT REBELLION.
having charge of several million dollars worth of prop
erty of every description, from a steamboat to a mule
shoe. About this time over ninety enlisted men of the
battalion were employed upon various kinds of detached
service, as clerks, orderlies, &c., a fact which speaks
well for the trustworthiness of the rank and file. On
the 12th of August Lieut. James H. Marshall was de-
O
tached as Acting Assistant Adjutant General upon the
staff of Major General H. W. Slocum, commanding the
Department of Mississippi, where he served until the
battalion was mustered out.
The battalion was ordered to Yicksburg for that
purpose, and the men were mustered out of the United
tates service on the 29th of October, left for New Hamp
shire, under command of Capt. Dana W. King, and
arrived at Concord on the evening of the 6th of Novem
ber, where they were received by Adjutant General
Natt Head, and Governor Frederick Srnyth, who ad
dressed them in a few appropriate words, tendered the
thanks of the State, and invited them to a hot supper
at the hotels. On Friday, the 9th of November, the
battalion was paid off and discharged. One hundred
and seventy-nine enlisted men returned, the last repre
sentatives of over one thousand seven hundred men
who had served in the Eighth Regiment. Captains
Newell and Landers, Surgeon Thompson, and Lieuts.
Bowen and Fletcher, with about twenty-five enlisted
men, were left at the South, preferring to be discharged
there to returning with the battalion. The officers who
returned with the command were Captain Dana W.
King, commanding the battalion ; and Lieutenants
George B. Johnson, James H. Marshall and Nelson H.
Peterson.
As a recognition of their services the officers of the
battalion were presented with brevet commissions by
the Governor, making the roster as follows :
EIGHTH REGIMENT 395
Colonel, James H. Landers;
Lieut. Colonel, Dana "W. King ;
Major, James R. Newell;
Surgeon, Andrew J. Thompson;
Company A — Captain, George B. Johnson ;
First Lieut. Nelson H. Peterson ;
Company B — Captain, Charles A. Bowen;
First Lieut. James F. W. Fletcher;
Company C — Captain, James H. Marshall;
First Lieut. James L. "Wheeler.
The Eighth Regiment was actively engaged in the
following battles :
Georgia Landing, October 27, 1862.
Camp Bisland, April 12 and 13, 1863.
Port Hudson, May 27 and June 14, 1863.
Sabine Cross Roads, April 8, 1864.
Cane River, April 23, 1864.
Moreauville, May 17, 1864.
Yellow Bayou, May 18, 1864.
Besides these the regiment was engaged in fifty-three
distinct skirmishes, some of which, previous to the war
of the rebellion, would have been considered sanguinary
battles, and in all of them was distinguished for coolness
and bravery.
396 THE GREAT REBELLION.
NINTH REGIMENT.
After the Eighth Regiment had been sent to the field,
recruiting in New Hampshire ceased, and by order of
the War Department all recruiting offices for volunteers
were closed and their furniture sold. In May, 1862, an
order was received from the War Department, request
ing New Hampshire to furnish an additional regiment
of infantry. A bounty of twenty dollars was offered —
which was subsequently increased to fifty dollars — by
the State to each person who might enlist in any new
regiment, and sixty dollars to those who would enlist
in either of the regiments then in the service. The men
rendezvoused at Concord, and during the month of July
a large portion of the regiment was mustered into the
United States service. The organization was finally
completed on the 23d, and left the State for the seat of
war on the 25th of August, under command of Colonel
Enoch Q. Fellows, who had previously resigned his com
mission in the Third Regiment. The following were
the field, staff and company officers, with their official
record, during the whole term of the service of the
regiment :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Enoch Q. Fellows, of Sandwicn.
Resigned Nov. 21, 1862.
Herbert B. Titus, of Chesterfield.
Discharged Sept. 27, 1864. Reinstated by Special Order No. 377. War
Department, Nov. 1, 1864. Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Josiah Stevens, Jr., of Concord.
Resigned June 14,1862.
Herbert B. Titus, of Chesterfield.
Promoted to Colonel Nov. 22, 1862.
NINTH REGIMENT. 397
John "W. Babbitt, of Keene.
Wounded May 12, 1864. Discharged on account of wounds Dec. 5, 1864.
Majors — Herbert B. Titus, of Chesterfield.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Aug. 26, 1862.
George W. Everett, of New London.
Died August 27, 1863.
George H. Chandler, of Concord.
Wounded May 12, 1864. Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Adjutants — William N. Cook, of Wakefield.
Died August 9, 1862.
George H. Chandler, of Concord.
Promoted to Major Sept. 1,^1863.
"William I. Brown, of Fish ervi lie.
Promoted to Major 18th N. H. Vols., Oct. 13, 1864.
Oscar D. Robinson, of Plainfield. .
Promoted to Captain May 1, 1865.
Quartermasters — Carlton B. Hutchinson, of Lisbon.
Resigned Nov. 12, 1862.
William Pitt Moses, of Great Falls.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Surgeons — William A. Webster, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged Jan. 5, 1865.
Francis N. Gibson, of Alstead.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Ass't Surgeons — John S. Emerson, of Sandwich.
Promoted to Surgeon 18th Regt. N. H. Vols., March 22, 1865.
Francis N. Gibson, of Alstead.
Promoted to Surgeon Jan. 18, 1865
Chaplain — Edward M. Gushee, of Dover.
Resigned Oct. 20, 1863.
Sergeant Majors — Edwin Greene, of Concord.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Sept. 29, 1862.
George P. Sylvester, of Gilmanton.
Promoted to Second Lieut. March 1, 1863.
Franklin H. Foster, of Exeter.
Captured near Petersburg, Va., July 30, 1864. Died of disease at Salis
bury, N. C., Dec. 14, 1804.
Newell T. Dutton, of Claremont.
Mustered out June 10, 1865
Quartermaster Sergeants — James B. Perry, of Nashua.
Discharged for disability Nov. 26, 1862.
S. Henrv Sprague, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 12, 1862.
398 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Charles P. Hill, of Somersworth.
Discharged for disability at Concord, Sept. 18, 1863.
Charles E. Rugg.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — H. M. Hanson, of Great Falls.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — Aaron "W. Shepard, of Nashua.
Promoted to Ass't Surgeon 18th N. H. Vols., Nov. 10, 1864.
Sylvester J. Hill, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Sylvanus Adams, of Milford.
Mustered out Nov. 25, 1862.
Alden B. Bennett, of Milford.
Mustered out Nov. 25, 1862.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — L. H. Pillsbury, of Londonderry.
Resigned Aug. 7, 1863.
Ludo B. Little, of Lyman.
Wounded severely July 2, 1864. Honorably discharged Oct. 24, 1864.
First Lieuts. — Wm. S. Pillsbury, of Londonderry.
k Resigned Oct. 9, 1862.
Oliver P. ISTewcomb, of Orford.
Resigned Jan. 11, 1863.
Ludo B. Little, of Orford.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 1, 1864.
George "W. Emery, of Dover.
Killed near Poplar Grove Church, Va., Sept. 30, 1864.
Charles J. Simons, of Epping.
Mustered^out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Oliver P. Newcomb, of Orford.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 9, 1862.
John Mooney, of Holderness.
Resigned March 2, 1863.
Henry O. Sargent, of Manchester.
Resigned Dec. 22, 1863.
George H. Drew, of Milford.
Captured July 30, 1864. Exchanged. Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. B. — Captains — Samuel J. Alexander, of Concord.
Wounded severely in action July 13, 1863, at Jacksonville, Miss. Died of
wounds July 23, 1863.
Orville Smith, of Lempster.
Killed at Spottsylvania, Va., May 12, 1864.
NINTH REGIMENT. 399
First Lieuts. — Wm. N. Haradon, of Manchester.
Resigned Jan. 11, 1863.
William I. Brown, of Fisherville.
Promoted to Adjutant Nov. 1, 1863.
H. Baxter Quimby, of Lisbon.
Captured at Poplar Grove Church, Va., Sept. 30, 1864. Escaped. Promot
ed to Captain May 1, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — T. Melville Chisholm, of Milton.
Resigned Oct. 9, 1862.
Horace Rolfe, of Concord.
Resigned March 11, 1863.
John C. Sampson, of Rochester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864.
Henry E. Hubbard, of Keene.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. C. — Captains — Augustus S. Ed^erly, of Nashua.
Wounded slightly Dec. 18, 1862. Killed May 6, 1864.
Charles D. Copp, of Nashua.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Charles "W. Tilton, of Sanbornton.
Resigned Dec. 5, 1862.
Charles D. Copp, of Nashua.
Promoted to Captain July 28, 1864.
Jerome Kelley, of Salem.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Charles D. Capp, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1863.
David F. Cheney, of Franklin.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 1, 1864.
Co. D. — Captains — Chester C. Stevens, of Exeter.
Resigned Dec. 25, 1862.
Asa T. Hutchinson, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Andrew J. Hough, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 22, 1862.
John E. Mason, of Manchester.
Discharged for disability March 9, 1865.
John Thompson, of Swanzey.
Mustered out June 10, 1865
Second Lieuts. — Albert Gr. Merrill, of Conway.
Resigned Dec. 22, 1862
George W. Emery, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864
400 THE GREAT REBELLION.
John Donovan, of Dover.
Discharged for disability Feb. 17, 1865.
Co. E. — Captains — Daniel C. Buswell, of Lebanon.
Wounded July 22, 1864. Died of wounds Aug. 8, 1864
Oscar D. Robinson, of Plainrield.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Asa T. Hutcliinson, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 1, 1863.
Charles A. Harnden, of Hillsborough.
Resigned July 29, 1863.
John C. Sampson, of Rochester.
Killed near Petersburg, Va., July 30, 1864.
Oscar D. Robinson, of Plainneld.
Promoted to Adjutant March 1, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — James N. Edminster, of Cornish.
Resigned Oct. 27, 1862.
H. Baxter Quimby, of Lisbon.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 1, 1864.
Oscar D. Robinson, of Plainneld.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 1, 1864.
Co. F. — Captains — Andrew J. Stone, of Dunbarton.
Wounded May 18, 1864. Died of wounds May 20, 1864.
Ervin T. Case, of Newport.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts.— William Pitt Moses, of Great Falls.
Appointed Quartermaster Nov. 13. 1862.
S. Henry Sprague, of Keene.
Died at Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 17, 1863.
Edward C. Babb, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 1, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John E. Mason, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut Nov. 22, 1862.
Ludo B. Little, of Lyman.
Wounded severely Dec. 13, 1862. Promoted to First Lieut. May 1, 1863.
Charles W. Wilcox.
Captured May 12, 1864. Exchanged. Honorably discharged May 15, 1865.
Co. G. — Captains — Smith O. Whitfield, of Francestown.
Wounded Sept. 17, 1862. Promoted to Lieut. Colonel 123d U. S. C. T.,
Oct. 7, 1864.
Edward C. Babb, of Concord.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Orville Smith, of Lempster.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 1, 1863.
NINTH REGIMENT. 401
S. Horace Perry, of Keene.
Honorably discharged April 20, 1864.
Stacy W. Hall, of Dover.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — C. A. Harnden, of Hillsborough.
Wounded Dec. 13, 1863. Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864.
William D. Rice, of Clarernont.
Wounded May 12, 1864. Killed at Poplar Grove Church, Va., Sept. 30, 18G4.
Co. H. — Captains — Charles W. Edgerly, of Rochester.
"Resigned Feb. 17, 1863.
James Blaisdell, of Rochester.
Dismissed August 4, 1864.
Benjamin R. Allen, of Newport.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — John G. Lewis, of Lancaster.
Killed at Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862.
James Blaisdell, of Rochester.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 28, 1863.
Edwin Greene, of Concord.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — James Blaisdell, of Rochester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1863.
Edward C. Babb, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864.
I. Leonard Harlow, of Lisbon.
Honorably discharged Dec. 19, 1864.
Co. I. — Captains — John W. Babbitt, of Keene.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Nov. 22, 1862.
Andrew J. Hough, of Dover.
Wounded severely and captured July 30, 1864. Paroled. Discharged on
account of wounds June 22, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Jacob Greene, of Keene.
Resigned March 8, 1804.
David F. Cheney, of Franklin.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Discharged for disability Nov. 30, 1864.
Charles J. Richards, of Great Falls.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Nelson N. Sawyer, of Keene.
"Resigned Sept. 29, 1862.
Edwin Greene, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 1, 1863.
George P. Sylvester, of Gilmanton.
Wounded May 12, 1864. ^Died of wounds at Washington, D. C., June 5, 1864.
402 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Co. K. — Captain — John B. Cooper, of Newport.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Ervin T. Case, of Newport.
P/omoted to Captain July 28, 1864.
Benjamin R. Allen, of Newport,
Wounded Sept. 30, 1864. Promoted to Captain Feb. 1, 1865.
Franklin J. Burnham, of Plaintield.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — William I. Brown, of Fisherville.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 1, 1863.
Benjamin R. Allen, of Newport,
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 16, 1864.
COLONEL ENOCH Q. FELLOWS.
Colonel Fellows was born at Sandwich, Carroll Coun
ty, New Hampshire, on the 20th of June, 1825. His
father was a respectable farmer, in humble circum
stances. He attended public schools in his native town
until old enough to go to an academy, from which time
until he was nineteen years old he attended different
academies and taught school alternately. He had nearly
completed his preparatory college course when he re
ceived an appointment to the United States Military
Academy at West Point, where he entered in 1844, and
remained about two and a half years, standing, when
he left fifth in his class in conduct, and eight in general
standing. Among his school fellows there were George
B. McClellan, Ambrose E. Burnside, D. N. Couch and
Jesse L. Reno, all of whom were Major Generals in the
Union army, the famous Stonewall Jackson, of the rebel
army, and many others who were prominent actors
during the war.
After leaving West point Colonel Fellows returned
to his native town, and for years took an active part in
the militia of the State. He held several commissions
and rose to the rank of Brigadier General. In 1854
he was appointed Inspector in the Boston Custom
H Q . F E L, L C\\r
Col. 9^ N. Li v/
NINTH REGIMENT. 403
House, which position he held three years. "When the
rebellion broke out, in 1861, Colonel Fellows was the first
man in the State, north of Concord, to volunteer, and
one of the very first to take an active part in enlisting
and organizing the three months volunteers, called for
by President Lincoln, immediately after the surrender
of Fort Sumter to the rebels. He acted as Adjutant
during the organization of the First Regiment, was
commissioned to that place by Governor Goodwin,
served with the regiment during its term of enlistment,
returned with it to the State, and the next day after
being mustered out was commissioned Colonel of the
Third Regiment. He organized this regiment and
commanded it about a year — except about three months,
when he was acting Brigadier General. When General
T. W. Sherman was getting up his great Naval Expedi
tion he came to Concord and obtained the promise of
the Governor that the Third Regiment, then being
organized, should form a part of it. Colonel Fellows
was the first Colonel of the fifteen regiments composing
that expedition to be mustered in, and the Third was
the first regiment to report to General Sherman in ISTew
York City, and he was consequently the ranking Colonel
of the Expedition. The Expedition took Port Royal
on the 7th of November, 1861. During the months of
December, 1861, and January, 1862, all the brigadier
generals were assigned to duty elsewhere, and Colonel
Fellows was appointed the first commandant at Hilton
Head, S. C. He enjoyed the most unbounded confidence
of General Sherman, both as an officer and a gentleman,
till he was relieved in March, 1862. Having been
absent from his home about a year he then asked for
a furlough, and General Sherman endorsed his applica
tion as follows — he having been relieved : " The valua
ble service performed in the Expeditionery Corps by
Colonel Fellows, and his long and close attention to
404 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
bis important duties here, renders the indulgence
asked for a very reasonable one, whictt I intended to
grant him." Colonel Fellows' request was granted at
once, but just then there was a disturbance at Edisto
Island, and General Benham asked General Sherman
which was the best regiment to send, and was answered,
the Third New Hampshire, and that regiment was ac
cordingly ordered there. Colonel Fellows then told
General Benham that, under the circumstances, he did
not wish to avail himself of his furlough at that time,
if he could be of service. The General expressed many
thanks for the offer, and immediately placed Colonel
Fellows in command of all the troops at Edisto and
vicinity, consisting of three and a half regiments of
infantry, one company of cavalry, four pieces of artil
lery, and one gunboat. He remained there three or
four weeks, and drove the rebels from Jehosse Island,
and after the capture of Fort Pulaski, and all had
become quiet, Colonel Fellows was relieved and received
his furlough.
While at home, without his knowledge, the Governor
and Council, the Adjutant General and Secretary of
State recommended him to President Lincoln for an
appointment as Brigadier General of United States Vol
unteers, as a man well qualified by education, ability
and experience to fill the position with honor to the
state and benefit to the service. "When the Ninth Regi
ment was being enlisted, about this time, Governor
Berry offered the command of it to Colonel Fellows,
which he said he would accept, if the Governor thought
best. He accordingly resigned his commission as
Colonel of the Third, and accepted that of Colonel of
the Ninth, on the 14th of June, 1862. On arrival in
Washington with the Ninth Regiment, Colonel Fellows
was immediately assigned to the command of a brigade,
though not the ranking colonel. This was about the
NINTH REGIMENT. 405
time of General Pope's defeat, and in a few days the
army was reorganized under General McClellan, and the
Ninth Regiment was assigned to an old brigade ; and in
less than three weeks from the time the regiment left
New Hampshire it was engaged in the battles of South
Mountain and Antietam. At South Mountain the Ninth
Regiment, under Colonel Fellows, made one of the most
brilliant bayonet charges of the whole war, drove a
rebel battery from the field, capturing several prisoners,
and he was especially complimented on the field by
Brigadier General Nagle, in command of the brigade,
and Major General Reno, in command of the corps.
General Reno had scarcely turned his horse from
Colonel Fellows to depart, after congratulating him
upon the good behavior of his men, when he received
his death wound. Soon after the battle of Antietam,
Colonel Fellows broke down in health and resigned.
He was undoubtedly one of the most capable officers in
the army from New Hampshire during the four years
continuance of the war. He was always faithful and
attentive to duty and cool and skillful in action. His
military education and experience, at a time when
there were but few men in the State who knew any
thing about the requirements of troops fitting for the
field, were of great benefit to the service.
At the close of his military service Colonel Fellows
returned to his native town, Sandwich, where he has
since resided. In 1868 and 1869 he was an active and
valuable member of the popular branch of the New
Hampshire Legislature from Sandwich; and in the
latter year was appointed a United States Assistant
Assessor of Internal Revenue in the First District.
His principal business is that of private banker, at St.
Paul, Minnesota, where he has a partner, and from
which he derives a handsome income.
406 THE GREAT REBELLION.
COLONEL HERBERT B. TITU&
At the time the rebellion broke out Colonel Titus was
engaged in teaching, at Chesterfield, Cheshire County,
New Hampshire, and was among the first men in that
County to enlist under the call of the President for
seventy-five thousand volunteers for three months, and
was on the 4th of June, 1861, commissioned Second
Lieutenant of Company A, in the Second Regiment, in
which position he served, sharing the fortunes of that
regiment, until June, 1862, when he was promoted to
Major of the Ninth New Hampshire Regiment. He
was promoted to Lieut. Colonel of the same on the 26th
of August, of the same year, and on the resignation of
Colonel Fellows, was promoted to Colonel on the 22d of
November, in which position he continued until the
muster out of his regiment, June 10, 1865. He was
wounded in the battle of Antietam by a rifle ball, while
he was himself using a musket. His loss to the regi
ment was very severely felt, for he had already won the
confidence of the men, and Colonel Fellows was the
only field officer left — Major Everett not yet having join
ed the command. On this occasion, and also at South
Mountain, a few days previous, Lieut. Colonel Titus
distinguished himself for gallantry and skill. During
his term in the army he was often in command of a
brigade, and rendered valuable service in every position
where the fortunes of war placed him. He returned to
the State with his regiment, after the close of the war,
and was mustered out with it. Subsequent to the close
of the war Colonel Titus purchased an extensive tract
of land in Virginia, where he now resides, engaged in
its care and cultivation.
NINTH REGIMENT. 407
MAJOR GEORGE WASHINGTON EVERETT.
Major Everett was born at New London, Merrimack
County, New Hampshire, on the 19th of November,
1819. He was educated in the public schools and acad
emy of his native town. He pursued a course of legal
study in the office of Walter P. Flanders, Esq., and was
admitted to the Merrimack County Bar in October 1847.
During his whole course of study he was dependent
upon his own exertions for means, and exhibited great
diligence and ambition. Soon after he was admitted to
the bar he commenced the practice of law in his native
town, where he continued until he entered the army.
In 1852 and 1856 he was elected a member from New
London of the New Hampshire House of Representa
tives, and took a prominent part on committees and in
debates. He was Solicitor for Merrimack County five
years, from 1856 to 1861, and discharged the duties of
that office in an able and acceptable manner.
In the summer of 1862, Major Everett felt that he
owed a duty, and his life, if need be, to his country, and
accordingly offered his services to the Governor. He
was commissioned Major of the Ninth Regiment on the
26th of August, 1862, but did not leave the State with
his regiment, on account of sickness, but joined it soon
afterward, and was with it in several battles and skir
mishes, in all of which he proved himself a brave and
faithful officer. In August 1863, as the Ninth Regiment
was coming up the Mississippi river from Yicksburg,
Major Everett was taken dangerously ill, and continuing
to grow worse, he stopped on his arrival at Cincinnati,
hoping that a few days rest would restore him to health ;
but he failed rapidly until the 27th of August, 1863,
when he died, lamented by his regiment and a very
large circle of friends in New Hampshire. His remains
408 THE GREAT REBELLION.
were sent home in charge of Lieut. Orville Smith, to his
sorrowing wife and family. His funeral took place at
New London on the 31st of August, and was attended
by a very large concourse of friends and citizens. At
the conclusion of the general services in the Baptist
church, where he had been a worshipper from early
boyhood, the body was given in charge of the Mount
Horeb Commandery of Knights Templar, of Concord,
of which organization the deceased was an esteemed
associate, and by the members was conveyed to the
village cemetery, where with impressive ceremonies it
was sacredly consigned to the grave.
The Ninth Kegiment left Concord for Washington on
the 25th of August, 1862, and was soon encamped at
Arlington Heights. This was among the darkest days
of the rebellion, when General Pope's broken and dis
pirited troops were falling back upon the national capi
tal. Lee had invaded Maryland and was marching on
Harrisburg.
All available troops were being brought into the field,
and the Ninth left camp on the 6th of September to join
the armies reunited under McClellan, and already mov
ing to oppose the progress of Lee. The regiment was
assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division, Ninth
Corps, Colonel James Nagle, of the Forty-eighth Penn
sylvania, commanding the brigade, which was then on
the march, and which was overtaken by the Ninth at
the Monocacy river, on the 13th of September.
BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
About noon on the 14th of September the Ninth Regi
ment was ordered into the field for its first battle, which
had already commenced at South Mountain. The ene
my occupied the crest of the mountain, the sides of
which were steep and rugged, covered with wood and
NINTH REGIMENT. 409
underbrush. The Ninth was formed in line of battle,
about half way up the mountain, and was ordered to
charge, by Colonel Fellows, which they did in the most
gallant style. The rebels opened upon them from above,
but most of the bullets passed over their heads. A
cross fire from a rebel battery caused some confusion in
the line, but did not stop its progress. The enemy
hastily retreated, leaving the summit of the mountain in
the hands of the Ninth and their comrades. For its
gallantry the regiment was complimented by Colonel
Nagle, commanding the brigade, and General Reno,
commanding the corps. The regiment suffered a loss
of twenty-five men wounded, two of whom subsequently
died.
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
On the morning of the 17th of September the Ninth
Regiment moved on to the battle ground of Antietam,
and took position with the Ninth Corps, on the left of
the army, opposite the famous stone bridge over Antie
tam Creek. The enemy was formidably posted on the
opposite side, on a high, steep bank, heavily wooded,
and presenting a discouraging obstacle to an advance.
The lines were formed along the banks of the stream,
at a distance of little more than two rods apart. For
two hours each side poured into the other an incessant
fire of musketry, the enemy having the advantage in
position, being considerably higher than the Union
lines, and partly protected by rude earth works. During
this terrific fire Lieut. Colonel Titus was wounded, while
himself using a rifle. Colonel Fellows was the only
field officer left — Major Everett not yet having joined
the regiment. The Ninth behaved admirably during
the fight and in the fierce contest which ensued in the
passage of the bridge, not a man left the ranks except
he was ordered away with some wounded comrade.
410 THE GREAT REBELLION.
The bridge was finally carried by storm, and the Ninth
was one of the first regiments over, climbing the oppo
site slope under a murderous artillery fire. The enemy
was forced back, and night came on with a substantial
victory for the Union arms. The Ninth lost in the
engagement ten men killed and eighty wounded.
Among the wounded, besides Lieut. Colonel Titus, were
Captains Cooper and Whitfield. For a regiment not
yet a month old, and with only the discipline and drill
of an active campaign, amid the smoke and confusion
of the battle field, the conduct of the Ninth deserved
and received special commendation.
On the 1st of October the brigade moved to Pleasant
Valley and went into camp. On the 26th the army
commenced its pursuit of Lee. Major Everett joined
the regiment soon after the battle of Antietam. On the
17th of November, while at "Warrenton, Colonel Fellows
resigned, on account of impaired health, and on the 22d
Lieut. Colonel Titus was commissioned Colonel, and
Captain John "W. Babbitt, of Company I, was promoted
to Lieut. Colonel. When General Burn side assumed
command of the army of the Potomac, the Ninth Corps
was placed in command of General "Wilcox, and was
assigned to the right grand division under General
S umner. The division to which thei Ninth belonged
was commanded by General Sturgis. General Sumner
was the first to reach the Rappahannock, and encamped
to the north and east of Falmouth, where the Ninth
Regiment was engaged in camp duties until the
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
On the 12th of December the Ninth Regiment crossed
the Rappahannock and remained in the streets of Fred-
ericksburg all that day and the succeeding night. Early
the next morning heavy firing commenced, and the
NINTH REGIMENT. 411
regiment was put under arms, and so continued until
one o'clock in the afternoon, when the brigade was
ordered into the fight, a single regiment at a time. Tl.e
Ninth moved to the left and rear of the city, and swing
ing to the right, advanced along the open field toward
the railroad, which having crossed, it came under a
galling fire of artillery. Here they advanced at a double
quick, the fire increasing each moment until they came
to a deep cut, through which ran a carriage road, the
sides being fifteen feet high, and nearly perpendicu
lar. Into this cut they rushed, when Lieutenant Lewis
was hit by a piece of bursting shell, and fell head
long down the embankment a corpse. Two pieces of
rebel artillery enfiladed the road, and poured into the
men crowded into these narrow limits a murderous fire
of shell and canister. Many of the oificers and men,
with great courage, made their way to the summit of
the embankment, and pulled those more heavily laden
up after them. Here the same murderous fire from the
front, increased by volleys of musketry, met them full
in the face. There was, however, no stop, and, swinging
to the left, the Ninth advanced across an open field,
every foot of which was exposed to the fire of the rebel
artillery, and was already thickly strewn with dead and
wounded, the Ninth adding its quota to the ghastly
scene. In crossing fences and ditches the companies
got somewhat separated from each other. The color-
bearer was mortally wounded, and several of the color-
guard had been killed or disabled. When Sergeant
Dinsmore, who carried the national colors, fell mortally
wounded, Lieut. C. D. Copp, of Company C, caught
them up, and, advancing to the front, waved them, ex
claiming, " Hurrah, boys! Come on!" maintaining his
position until the front line was reached. Here the
men, sheltering themselves as much as possible behind
knolls, embankments and stone walls, kept up a nearly
412 THE GREAT REBELLION.
fruitless fire on the impregnable position of the enemy
until after dark, when it was withdrawn* to the city, and
recrossed the river with the rest of the corps and went
into camp on its old ground. The Ninth was com
manded in this battle by Lieut. Colonel Babbitt. The
loss of the regiment was four killed and eighty-two
wounded. Lieut. Lewis was among the killed, and
Captain A. S. Edgerly and Lieut. Charles A. Harndon
were of the wounded.
The Ninth Regiment remained in camp opposite
Fredericksburg until the fore part of February, 1863,
wThen with its Corps it was ordered to Newport News,
and from thence on the 25th of March embarked for
Baltimore, on its way to Lexington, Kentucky, where
it arrived on the 31st. The brigade was broken up
and the regiments were scattered about the State for
the purpose of fostering the Union sentiment and dis
couraging the appearance of disloyalty. The Ninth
was in the Blue Grass region, where provisions were
abundant and cheap, and the men lived upon the fat of
the land. On the 2d of May the Ninth marched to
Paint Lick, where it joined the rest of the brigade,
which was soon ordered to join General Grant's force
which was besieging Yicksburg, where they arrived
about the middle of June. General Johnston's army
was approaching from the east and threatening Grant's
rear. To meet the emergency the Ninth Corps was,
two days after its arrival, embarked on boats and sent
up the Mississippi to the Yazoo, and up that river to
Milldale, a mile or two from Haines' Bluff, where a line
of defense was taken up, stretching from the Yazoo on
the north to the Big Black on the south. Timber was
slashed and batteries were erected along the line, and
the approach of Johnston to the relief of Yicksburg
was thus effectually cut off. Here the men were sub-
NINTH REGIMENT. 413
jected to the severest toil, many privations and a most
unhealthy climate.
Vicksburg surrendered on the 4th of July, and Johns
ton began to retreat, with the Ninth Corps in hot
pursuit. On the 5th General Sherman came up with
the Fourteenth Corps, and assumed command of the
whole force engaged in the chase. Johnston made a
stand at Jackson, and awaited the arrival of Sherman.
On the night of the 13th, Captain Alexander, of Com
pany B, who had posted his men on the picket line and
was attempting to pass back in the intense darkness,
along the line, was shot by his own men, who had been
ordered to fire upon any object approaching from that
direction. Captain Alexander died in consequence on
the 23d. Two or three hours later a party of rebels,
who knew the ground perfectly, crept stealthily upon
that portion of the line, and bayoneted private Dustin,
of Company B, whose death-cry brought every man
instantly to his feet. Others had hand to hand conflicts
with their assailants, and one or two were wounded :
but all stood their ground, and though they could only
fire at random upon their unseen foe, the attack was
repulsed and the line held. Preparations were made
for storming the town, but Johnston retired to Meridian,
and Sherman not thinking it expedient to follow him
into the enemy's country, returned with his command
to Milldale, about sixty miles.
On the 10th of August the Ninth embarked and
arrived at Covington, Kentucky, on the 21st. On the
way Major Everett was taken sick and died soon after
reaching Cincinnati. After four days passed at Coving-
ton they removed to Camp Nelson, near Nicholasville.
General Burnside had taken Knoxville, and the Ninth
Corps was called upon by him to take part in the cam
paign in East Tennessee, while the Ninth Regiment was
sent to Paris to guard the railroad between Cincinnati
414 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and Camp Nelson, being scattered along in detachments
for a distance of twenty miles. The regiment was
suffering extremely from disease occasioned by the
miasma of the Yazoo swamps, so that the monthly
returns for August showed that out of three hundred
and six present, one hundred and forty-three were on the
sick list, while most of the officers were at home on
sick leave. Though the men had the best of care and
hospital accommodations, it was many weeks before they
fully recovered from the effects of the disease contracted
on the Yazoo.
During the month of December a large number of
recruits joined the regiment, most of whom were a
disgrace to the service. The whole number assigned
to the Ninth during 1863 and 1864, was eight hundred
and twenty-eight, and of these four hundred and forty-
four either never reached their command, or deserted
very soon afterward, while of those who remained many
were worthless, from various causes. The regiment,
by its good conduct won the confidence and esteem of
the people, who expressed their regret when it was
removed.
The Ninth was relieved from duty on the railroad on
the 15th of January, 1864, and soon after proceeded to
Cumberland river, arriving at Camp Burnside, at the
head of steamboat navigation, on the 30th, where a
force was needed to protect the supplies for the army in
East Tennessee, which were sent forward to Knoxville
by way of Cumberland Gap, by large trains of pack
mules. Soon guerillas began to be troublesome in the
mountain districts, and the Ninth New Hampshire Regi
ment and First Ohio Artillery were ordered to proceed
to Knoxville, by different routes — the latter to do duty
in the town and the former to rejoin the Ninth Corps.
The march was one of extreme hardship and privation,
the men suffering as none others suffered, perhaps,
NINTH REGIMENT. 415
except in East Tennessee. They reached Knoxville on
the 17th of March, and joined the Ninth Corps. On the
21st the Corps started for central Kentucky, and the
regiment re-crossed the Cumberland Mountains by a
new route, and came out at Camp Burnside on the 27th,
and four days later reached Nicholasville again.
The Ninth was ordered to Annapolis, Md., where it
arrived on the 5th of April, and was placed in the
Second Brigade of the Second Division, with the Sixth
and Eleventh New Hampshire, under the command of
Colonel S. G. Griffin, of the former regiment. Here
convalescents and recruits arrived sufficient to swell the
number of men present for duty to five hundred and
twenty-eight. The brigade to which the Ninth belonged
crossed the Rappahannock and joined the Army of the
Potomac on the 4th of May.
At the battle of the Wilderness, on the 6th of May,
Captain Augustus S. Edgerly, of Company C, who was
serving on the staff of Colonel Griffin, was killed. The
division moved to Fredericksburg, on the 9th, and
bivouacked just inside the works surrounding the city.
Here Colonel Titus was carried to the hospital, sick with
a fever, and the command of the regiment devolved
upon Major Chandler.
BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA.
At daybreak on the 12th of May a grand charge was
ordered along the whole line, the signal for which was
to be the opening of the artillery. The Ninth Regiment
numbered about five hundred muskets, and never in
better discipline, was stationed on the extreme right of
the Ninth Corps. The brigade moved forward in line
of battle, preceded by the skirmishers, Companies I
and G, which, commanded by Captain Hough, and
Lieuts. Rice and Sylvester, in their progress captured
416 THE GREAT REBELLION.
about fifty of the enemy's skirmishers. In moving
through a dense pine forest the Ninth, though preserving
its line as well as possible, got partially separated from
the rest of the brigade, and gained the open field in
front considerably in advance of them. The Second
Corps was immediately on the right, and had charged
a little in advance of the Mnth. They had already
reached the rebel works, taken possession of the first
line, with a large number of prisoners, and were now
being hard pressed by a counter march on the part of
the rebels. As the Nmth issued from the woods with
the remainder of the brigade, the second Corps set up
a loud cheer at the sight of reinforcements. A shower
of bullets from the rebels greeted their appearance,
but they were so widely aimed that few took effect.
The brigade moved steadily forward and down the
intervening slope, over fallen trees and piles of brush,
toward the enemy, concealed by a dense fog which
covered the field, but who were pouring forth in dense
masses to meet the impending assault. At this junc
ture an officer of the Second Corps rode up, shouting,
" Colonel, or whoever commands that battalion, for
God's sake change front, for they are coming in on
my left ! " In another moment he fell from his horse
pierced by a rebel bullet. Major Chandler gave the
necessary order and the regiment commenced the move
ment, when the rebel bullets began to take effect. A
series of light outer works, from which the rebel pickets
had retired was soon reached, when the command was
given to halt and fire. At the first volley many of the
pieces were so damp that they missed fire, while others
were so damaged that the cartridges barely ignited
sufficiently to empty the barrels. The fire of the enemy
increased to a continued roar, who emerged from the
fog directly in front and to the left of the Mnth, at a
distance of scarcely a hundred paces, and advancing
NINTH REGIMENT. 417
in three lines of battle. A conflict more terrible, and
a slaughter more destructive than any in which the
regiment had ever engaged, now ensued. The two
lines advanced so closely together that their rifles flashed
in each other's faces. The left was separated from the
rest of the brigade, and was wholly unprotected. The
enemy were rapidly swinging round into the rear, and
the only alternative was to fall back while the way
was yet open ; and rallying around the colors, already
pierced by a score of bullets, the regiment fell back
to the woods, leaving the dead and wounded on the
O
field. While falling back the color-bearer was wounded,
and Corporal Parsons, of Company E, seizing the national
colors, bravely shouted to the men to rally around
and protect them. Major Chandler was wounded, and
would have fallen into the hands of the enemy had not
some of the men taken him in a blanket and borne him
from the field. The woods gained, the remnant of the
battalion was reorganized and took position with the
brigade in the line, which was successfully held against
the enemy during the day.
Captain Smith was killed; Lieut. Colonel Babbitt,
who was temporarily in command of the Thirty-second
Maine, was wounded ; Lieut. Sylvester was wounded
mortally ; Major Chandler seriously, and Lieut. Wilcox
was captured. Forty-two enlisted men were killed out
right, ninety-four were wounded, and seventy were
missing. The latter were nearly all wounded, and in
the hands of the enemy. The fight was short, but the
most severe one in which the Mnth Regiment was
engaged.
On the 18th another advance was ordered, in which
the Ninth, with other regiments, was used as support.
It was exposed to a severe artillery fire, during which
Captain Stone, who was in command of the regiment,
was mortally wounded. The command then devolved
418 THE GREAT REBELLION.
upon Captain Buswell. The regiment lost, besides
Captain Stone, two men killed and seventy-six more
or less wounded. At Ptolopotamy Creek, on the 28th
in a skirmish with the enemy, the regiment lost one
man killed and sixteen wounded. At Cold Harbor, on
the 3d of June, the Ninth supported a battery, and
suffered a loss of only one or two men wounded.
On the 16th of June, after a march of thirty miles,
the Ninth with its brigade arrived in the vicinity of
Petersburg, and during the night, in which it was en
gaged in a smart skirmish with the enemy, several men
were wrounded. The next day the regiment had fifteen
men wounded out of the hundred and twenty-five to
which its effective strength had been reduced. The
next two months the Ninth spent in the trenches before
Petersburg, participating with the other troops in the
hardships of the siege. On the 3d of July Captain
Little was badly, and on the 22d Captain Buswell
mortally wounded by stray shots from the enemy.
In the battle of the " Mine," on the 30th of July,
the Ninth bore a prominent part. Its position was in
the first line of the division, just in front of the rebel
fort, where the troops were massed for the assault. At
the instant of the explosion it sprang forward, and was
the first to plant its colors on the ruined work. In the
fierce conflict that ensued for the possession of what
had been gained, the regiment was conspicuous. Twice
its colors fell, but they were quickly raised again. Ser
geant Wilkins re-captured the flag of the Twenty-first
Massachusetts, which had been taken, and afterward
received a medal from the War Department in ac
knowledgment of his gallantry. Lieut. Simons, then
a sergeant, pushed far ahead of his regiment, and found
himself surrounded but refused to surrender. He shot
one man, buy<victed another, was knocked down with
the butend of a musket, was helped into a bomb-proof
NINTH REGIMENT. 419
where were five North Carolinians, all of whom he cap-
tured and "brought into the Union lines in triumph.
Captain Hough, who commanded the regiment was
frightfully wounded, taken prisoner, but was subse
quently exchanged. In the retreat which followed
Lieut. Sampson was killed, Lieuts. Green and Cheney
were wounded, and Lieut. Drew was captured. Besides
these the regiment lost in killed, wounded and missing,
ninety- two, or about one-half the number engaged.
On the 30th of September, at Poplar Grove Church,
the Ninth Regiment was again engaged, but from the
superior force of the enemy was obliged to retreat to
save itself from capture — a fate which all did not escape.
Lieuts. Rice and Emery, the latter, at the time, on Gen
eral Griffin's staff, were killed, Lieut. Allen was wound
ed, and Lieut. Quimby captured. One hundred and
twenty enlisted men were killed, wounded or missing.
The color-bearer, Corporal Brown, who showed signal
bravery at the battle of the " Mine," was captured,
though not till he had stripped the colors from the staff
and torn them into shreds.
The regiment rested until the 27th of October, when
it participated in the movement on Hatcher's Run, but
were riot actively engaged. On the 5th of November
Colonel Titus returned to the regiment ; on the 8th the
men voted for President ; on the 24th they celebrated
Thanksgiving, a bountiful dinner having been sent them
from home ; on the 29th the Corps was moved to the
Jerusalem Plank Road, and the Ninth was stationed in
the rear of Fort Alexander Hayes, where they passed
an agreeable winter. During the winter Colonel Titus
was much of the time in command of the brigade, and
the command of the regiment devolved on Captain
Cooper.
The Ninth took no active part in the battles in the
month of April, 1865, which sealed the fate of the Con-
420 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
federacy, being a part of the force left to hold the lines
in front of the city of Petersburg, while* the final flank
movement of the Army of the Potomac was being made
on the left. The Ninth, with two other regiments, was
detailed on the 6th to guard E well's army, to the num
ber of eight thousand men, which had been captured
two days before. The regiment embarked for Alexan
dria, which place it reached on the 27th, and remained
there about a month. It participated in the grand
review of the army at Washington on the 23d of May.
All the recruits of the Ninth were transferred to the
Sixth New Hampshire Regiment. The Ninth was mus
tered out of the United" States service on the 10th of
June, the next day started for home, and on the 14th
Colonel Titus returned the colors to the Governor at the
State House, the men deposited their arms at the mili
tary depot, the regiment was discharged and paid,
leaving an imperishable record upon the roll of fame.
TENTH REGIMENT.
TENTH REGIMENT.
The Tenth Regiment was raised under a call in July,
1862, from the War Department for three hundred
thousand three years troops. The State bounty of fifty
dollars was continued to all new recruits, and towns, to
avoid the impending draft, voted liberal bounties to
their citizens who would enlist and be counted on their
respective quotas. Capt. Michael T. Donohoe, of the
Third Regiment, was appointed Colonel and John
Coughlin, of Manchester, was commissioned Lieut.
Colonel. Both these gentlemen, with other officers
appointed for the regiment, commenced the work of
enlisting men, about the middle of July. These gentle
men appealed to the patriotism of the people, stating the
necessities of the country in eloquent terms, and called
upon their fellow countrymen to fill the ranks of the
Tenth Regiment without delay, and defend the flag of
their adopted country. The camp was established at
Manchester, which city furnished the largest part of six
companies. The men began to arrive at the rendezvous
on the 20th of August, and on the 5th of September the
organization of the regiment was completed, and it was
mustered into the United States service, numbering
nine hundred and twenty-eight officers and men. The
following were the field, staff and line officers, with their
official record, during the whole term of service of the
regiment :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONEL — Michael T. Donohoe, of Manchester.
Wounded slightly Sept, 29, 1864. Discharged for disabilty Jan. 18, 1865.
discharge revoked by Special Orders No. 100, War Department, A. G. Office,
422 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Feb. 28, 1865. Appointed BHgadier General U. S. V., by brevet, for gallant
conduct in the field, to date from March 13, 1865. Mustered out as Colonel
June 21, 1865.
Lieut. Colonel — John Coughlin, of Manchester.
Appointed Colonel U. S. V., by brevet, for gallant conduct in the field, to
date from April 9, 1865. Mustered out as Lieut. Colonel June 21, 1865.
Majors — Jesse F. Angell, of Manchester.
Wounded severely May 13,^1864. Discharged on account of wounds, Oct.
19, 1864.
Timothy B. Growl ey,' of Nashua.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Adjutants — William H. D. Cochrane, of Goffstown.
Resigned April 15, 1863
Joseph J. Donohoe, of Manchester.
Wounded severely June 3, 1863. Cashiered April 28, 1865
David A. Worthley, of Goffstown.
Mustered out June 21, 1865
Quartermasters — Thomas Sullivan, of Nashua.
Dismissed Nov. 22, 1862.
Foster Kimhall, of Manchester.
Discharged for disability Nov. 26, 1864. Discharge revoked by Special
Orders No. 39, War Department, A. G. Office, Jan. 25, 1865. Mustered out
June 21, 1865.
Surgeons — John Ferguson, of Manchester.
Resigned Aug. 15, 1863.
Horatio N". Small.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Assistant Surgeons — Henry J. Harwood, of Salem.
Died of disease, at Suffolk, Va., March 17, 1863.
Thomas R. Clement, of Mason.
Honorably discharged Sept. 17, 1864.
John Haynes, of Londonderry.
Resigned July 30, 1863.
William K Wilkins, of Bedford.
Resigned July 21, 1864.
Albert Plummer, of Auburn.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — Ichabod S. Bartlett, of Manchester.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Nov. 24, 1862.
Frank H. Swett, of Andover.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Dec. 1, 1868.
David A. Worthley, of Goffstown.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 20, 1864.
B. Stowe Laskey, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
TENTH REGIMENT. 423
Quartermaster Sergeants — Myles McSweeney.
Appointed Hospital Steward Nov. 10, 1862.
Alfred G. Simons, of Manchester.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 20, 1864
James B. T. Baker of Manchester.
Mustered out June 21, 1865
Commissary Sergeants — Richard TI. Short.
Promoted to Second Lieut. March 23, 1863
James McLaughlin.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — Timothy Cahill.
Discharged for disability Nov. 10, 1862.
Myles McSweeney.
Discharged at Lady's Home Hospital, New York, Nov. 29, 1864.
Albert Plummer, of Auburn.
Promoted to Ass't Surgeon Jan. 4, 1865.
George 11. Aiken.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Principal Musicians — J. W. Batchelder, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
George H. Minard.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — John M. Caswell, of Manchester.
Killed at Chapin's Farm, Va., Sept. 30, 1864.
Lawrence F. Larkin, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Thos. C. Trumbull, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Jan 12, 1863.
Andrew W. Doe, of Manchester.
Wounded severely May 12, 1864. Killed near Petersburg, Va., Aug. 22,
1864.
David A. "Worthley, of Goffstown.
Promoted to Adjutant May 19, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Alonzo L. Day, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. D.
John A. Eaton, of Bedford.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 1, 1864.
Isaac C. Richardson, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 23, 1865.
Co. B. — Captain — Timothy B. Crowley, of Nashua.
Wounded severely Oct. 27, 1864. Promoted to Major Nov. 23, 1864.
424 THE GREAT REBELLION.
First Lieuts. — George Edgcomh, of Nashua.
Transferred to Co. C, Jan. 1 0^1863. Resigned Aug. 6, 1863.
Michael Moran, of Nashua.
Resigned May 13, 1863.
Michael F. Corcoran, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. F. Promoted to Captain July 13, 1864.
John B. Sargent, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain May 15, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Michael Moran, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 10, 1863.
Richard II. Short.
Dismissed Jan. 14, 1864.
John B. Sargent, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 13, 1864.
£J0. C. — Captains — Cornelius W. Strain, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged Sept. 19, 1864.
George H. L. Head, of Hooksett.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — James "Welch, of Raymond.
Resigned Jan. 19, 1863.
John C. Keenan, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain July 13, 1863.
Henry H. Emerson, of Dover.
Killed at Fair Oaks, Va., Oct. 27, 1864.
George W. Littlefield, of Dover.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — M. T. H. Maguire, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. K, Jan. 19, 1863.
Andrew "W. Doe, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 3, 1863.
Cornelius Donohoe, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. F.
Henry H. Emerson, of Dover.
Transferred to Co. H. Wounded slightly May 13, 1864. Promoted to
First Lieut. July 13, 1864.
William H. H. Black.
Killed at Chapin's Farm, Va., Sept. 29, 1864.
Co. D. Captains — "Warren M. Kelley, of Hooksett.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Charles Johnson, of Manchester.
Resigned July 29, 1863.
John A. Eaton, of Bradford.
Wounded May 9, 1864. Died of wounds May 27, 1864.
TENTH REGIMENT. 425
Frank H. Swett, of Andover.
Honorably discharged Oct. 29, 1864.
Second Lieuts. — Chas. H. Gardner, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 18, 1863.
James A. Sanborn, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 4, 1863.
Daniel "W. Russell, of Nashua,
Killed in action June 2, 1864.
Co. E. — Captains — Aldrich B. Cook, of Andover.
Resigned Jan. 9, 1863
Thomas C. Trumbull, of Manchester.
Dismissed March 30, 1864.
James A. Sanborn, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts.— Wm. H. D. Cochrane, of Goffstown.
Appointed Adjutant Jan 1, 1863.
Charlton W. Wooclbury, of Wilmot.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 11, 1863.
James A. Sanborn, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 23, 1864.
Samuel L. Mitchell.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts.— C. W. Woodbury, of TVilmot.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 11, 1863.
George A. Chase, of Andover.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 9, 1863.
Samuel L. Mitchell.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Co. F. — Captains — John L. O'Brien, of Manchester.
Wounded slightly June 3, 1864. Dismissed Feb. 9, 1865
George "W. Chase, of Andover.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — John Faxon, of Walpole.
Honorably discharged July 3, 1864.
Gilbert A. Tucker, of Andover.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John C. Keen an, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 20, 1863.
Cornelius Donohoe, of Manchester.
Dismissed Nov. 23, 1863.
Frank H. Swett, of Andover.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 13, 1864
426 THE GREAT REBELLION.
John P. O'Brien.
Not mustered. Captured at Fair Oaks, Va., Oct. 27, 1864. Paroled. Pro
moted to First Lieut. Nov. 23, 1864.
n0 G-.— Captains— George W. Towle, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out June 21, 1865
First Lieuts. — Geo. E. Hodgdon, of Portsmouth.
Resigned Feb. 14, 1863
Simon R. Marston, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Paymaster U. S. Army, April 3, 1863.
George H. L. Head, of Hooksett.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 23, 1864.
Second Lieuts. — S. R. Marston, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 15, 1864.
Alonzo L. Day, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged April 21, 1864.
Charles H. Hoyt.
Wounded May 14, 1864. Died of wounds June 27, 1864.
Co H —Captains— George H. Hubhard, of Manchester.
Resigned June 9, 1863.
Patrick Doyle, of Manchester.
Wounded severely October 27, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Foster Kimball, of Manchester.
Promoted to Quartermaster Nov. 22, 1862.
Charles H. Gardner, of Manchester.
Resigned March 17, 1863.
George W. Chase, of Andover.
Transferred to Co. K. Promoted to Captain Feb. 9, 1865.
Morris Mathon, of Hooksett.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John Hubbard, of New Ipswich.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 24, 1862.
Ichabod S. Bartlett, of Manchester.
Resigned Jan. 1, 1863.
Alfred G. Simons, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 1, 1865.
Co. I.— Captains— Darius G. Ilarriman, of Farmington.
Dishonorably discharged Jan. 16, 1863.
John Hubbard of New Ipswich.
Dishonorably discharged May 20, 1864.
Michael F. Corcoran, of Manchester.
Captured at Fair Oaks, Va., Oct. 27, 1864. Exchanged. Mustered out
June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Richard Cody, of Dover.
Resigned Nov. 15, 1862.
TENTH REGIMENT. 427
John Hubbard, of New Ipswich.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 17, 18G3.
James Knott, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 17, 1863. Killed at Cold Harbor, Va., June
3, 1864.
William P. Williams, of Concord.
Commission revoked. Dismissed for desertion as Second Lieut. Aug. 3, 1864.
Second Lieuts. — James Knott, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 17, 1863.
William P. Williams, of Concord.
Wounded slightly July 3, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. July 13, 1864.
Co. K. — Captains — James Madden, of Manchester.
Killed in action June 16, 1864.
John Keenan, of Concord.
Captured at Fair Oaks, Va., Oct. 27, 1864. Exchanged. Mustered out
June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Patrick Doyle, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain June 9, 1863.
Michael T. H. Maguire, of Manchester.
Transferred to Co. G. Dismissed Jan. 5, 1864.
Lawrence F. Larkin, of Manchester.
Wounded severely May 9, 1864. Wounded severely Oct. 27, 1864. Pro
moted to Captain Nov. 23, 1864.
Isaac C. Richardson, of Nashua.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieut. — L. F. Larkin of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 10, 1864.
GENERAL MICHAEL T. DONOHOE.
General Donohoe was born at Lowell, Mass., Nov. 22,
1838. He was educated at the Lowell schools and at
the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass. At
the outbreak of the rebellion he was engaged in business
at Manchester, where he had great influence with the
Irish population. When the Third Regiment was called
for he enlisted a full company, and went with it to Con
cord, early in August, 1861. This company w^as lettered
C, and he was commissioned Captain of it. He went
with the regiment to the field, and participated in nearly
all its marches and battles, showing much true patri
otism and valor on all occasions, and was often com
mended for his conduct as an officer.
428 THE GREAT REBELLION.
"WTien in the summer of 1862 three htmdred thousand
troops were called for by the President, to meet the
emergency in which the country was placed by the
defeats of the Union army, it was determined by the
Governor and Council to raise an Irish regiment in this
State, and it was designated the Tenth Infantry. Cap
tain Donohoe, who had distinguished himself as an
officer in the Third Regiment, was offered the command
of the Tenth, and signified his willingness to accept
the responsible position. He was commissioned Colonel
on the 6th of August, 1862, and soon came home and
assumed the duties. Colonel Donohoe, Lieut. Colonel
Coughlin, also of Manchester, and others who had been
commissioned in the Tenth Regiment, addressed meet
ings of citizens in that city and other places, appealing
especially to their fellow countrymen, and very soon
secured the requisite number of men — Manchester
furnishing the larger part of six companies. The regi
ment was fully organized, mustered into the United
States service, and left the State for the seat of war in
September — but little more than a month after Colonel
Donohoe received his commission. He went with his
regiment to the field, and its history, with that of the
Third, go far toward making up Colonel Donohoe's
personal military record.
In the summer of 1863, and during much of the
time afterward, until the close of the war, Colonel
Donohoe was in command of his brigade. He was
wounded severely on the 29th of September, 1864, when
in command of the skirmish line in the assault on Fort
Harrison. Early in the day his horse was shot under
him. He showed great coolness and bravery until
wounded late in the day. He was appointed Brigadier
General United States Volunteers, by brevet, for gallant
conduct in the field, to date from March 13, 1865. His
regiment was among the first to enter the city of Rich-
TENTH REGIMENT. 429
mond, on the 3d of April, 1865. Three months and a
half afterward the Tenth, Twelfth and Thirteenth ^ew
Hampshire Regiments were mustered out of the service,
formed a brigade, and came home under command of
Brevet Brigadier General Donohoe.
Soon after the close of the war General Donohoe was
appointed to a responsible position on the Concord Rail
road. In 1869 he was nominated by the Democratic
party as their candidate for one of the board of Railroad
Commissioners, and was re-nominated in 1870. He is a
gentleman of ability and influence, and enjoys the
respect of a large circle of acquaintances.
The Tenth Regiment left camp at Manchester on the
22d of September, 1862, and after a journey interspersed
with pleasurable incidents and painful accidents, arrived
at Washington on the 25th. At Worcester, Mass., the
citizens gave the regiment a bountiful collation, and at
Philadelphia they met with an enthusiastic reception
and partook of a nice supper at the famous and never to
be forgotten Cooper Refreshment Saloon. Between
Philadelphia and Baltimore one of the cars ran off the
track and private John Cole, of Company K, was thrown
from the train and killed. Between Baltimore and
Washington the train on which the Tenth was embarked
collided with another train from Washington, crushing
several of the cars and injuring a number of the men —
some fatally. The engineer of the colliding train was
suspected of having been the wanton cause of the dis
aster, which enraged the soldiers, who were with diffi
culty restrained from shooting him on the spot. He
was finally sent to Baltimore under arrest.
On the 30th of September the regiment embarked on
cars and proceeded to Frederick City, Md., where it
remained until the 4th of October, When it moved to
Sandy Hook, opposite Harper's Ferry, and went into
430 THE GREAT REBELLION.
camp on Maryland Heights. Two dajTs afterward the
regiment moved over the mountains into Pleasant
Valley, and was incorporated into the Army of the
Potomac. It was assigned to the First Brigade, Third
Division, Ninth Corps, the other regiments in the bri
gade being the Ninth, Eighty-ninth, and Hundred and
Third New York.
The last of October the Army of the Potomac moved.
The Ninth Corps crossed the mountains, through Knox-
ville, and thence to Wheatland and Gaskin's Mills,
where a halt of about a week was made. On the 15th
the march was again resumed, and while a part of the
Ninth Corps was crossing the north fork of the Rappa-
hannock the rebel General Early made an attempt to
cut off one of the wagon trains, when a short artillery
engagement ensued, during which the Tenth was placed
in support of one of the batteries. This was its first
experience under fire. The corps passed Warrenton
Junction, Bealton, Elk Run, Hartwood Church, arriving
at Falmouth on the 19th, where the regiment passed a
most uncomfortable night in the mud and water, which
did not admit of laying down or sleeping.
The Tenth participated in the disastrous battle of
Fredericksburg. At daylight on the morning of the
13th of December, Colonel Donohoe was ordered to
take his regiment to the front, where it relieved Haw-
kins' Zouaves, then on picket. Five companies were
thrown forward as skirmishers, under cover of a dense
fog, which concealed their movements. At about eight
o'clock this cleared away before the rising sun, and
revealed the close proximity of the men of the two con
tending armies. The rebels opened with a hot musketry
fire, to which the Tenth promptly replied. This opened
the ball between the infantry on that part of the line.
The remaining five companies were brought up as a
support, and the line was ordered forward. The rebel
TENTH REGIMENT. 431
skirmishers withdrew and the Tenth occupied the rail
road. About this time the main attacking column
issued from the city and advanced to the assault of
Marye's Heights, when commenced a most terrific
battle, the details of which are given in connection
with other regiments. During the battle the Tenth
bravely held its position, preventing the enemy from
bringing down his light batteries on the flank and
enfilading the assaulting lines. Just before dark the
remainder of the brigade, which had thus far been held
in reserve, near the river, was brought up, and with the
Tenth, ordered in to make a last charge against that
position where the regiment had all day long witnessed
the slaughter of men who had been sacrificed in the
futile attemps to carry it. The Kinth New York, whose
position was on the right of the line, failed to come up,
and to the Tenth ISTew Hampshire fell that place. Before
the line was fairly ready for the assault, darkness began
to cover the field, and amid the deepening gloom, ren
dered still deeper by the smoke of battle which lowered
over the scene, the brigade moved across the plain in
good order, and the Tenth entered with spirit upon its
first battle and first charge. Moving in quick time
until they began to draw the fire of the enemy's bat
teries, they then sprang forward at a double quick,
cheering as they went. They struggled over fences,
through a deep ditch, and coming upon the solid
ground beyond, were met by the fierce discharge of
thousands of rifles, and the bullets whistled over their
heads and through their ranks, while the batteries
increased their fire of grape and canister. On they
went until in the gathering darkness the rebel muskets
seemed to flash in their very faces. Regiments mingled
together in confusion, and, unable to see or hear, the
line became broken and disorganized, and they were
forced to retire. A short distance to the rear the Tenth
432 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and Thirteenth New Hampshire were re-formed, but
the attack was not renewed, and the battle of Fred-
ericksburg ended with a rebel victory. The dead of
the New Hampshire regiments were found nearer the
rebel lines than any other of the army. So uncertain
was the aim of the rebels, that under all this terrible
fire, both of musketry and artillery, the loss of the
Tenth was only three officers wounded, and fifty enlist
ed men killed and wounded.
During the months of January and February, 1863,
the health of the regiment was exceedingly bad, and for
a long time there was an average of more than one
death per day. On the 5th of February Colonel Dono-
hoe started for home on a leave of absence, and the
command of the regiment devolved on Lieut. Colonel
Coughlin. On the 9th the Ninth Corps embarked and
proceeded to Newport News. Company H was detailed
as guard to the headquarters of General W. F. Smith,
who was at that time in command of the corps. On the
25th a grand review was held by Major General Dix,
then in command of the Department, in which the
Tenth was conspicuous for its fine appearance and
correct marching.
On the 14th of March the Tenth sailed for Norfolk,
and from there proceeded by rail to Suffolk, to reinforce
the troops there who were threatened with an attack
from the enemy. Three days after arrival Assistant
Surgeon Hanvood died, after a sudden illness. He was
very much respected and beloved by tlie men, and his
death was felt to be a calamity to the regiment. Colo
nel Donohoe returned and assumed command. On the
16th of April the Tenth, with three companies of the
Thirteenth and a section of the Second Wisconsin Bat
tery, the whole force commanded by Colonel Donohoe,
proceeded down the river to Fort Connecticut. At
night Colonel Donohoe, with a hundred and fifty men,
TENTH REGIMENT. 433
made a reconnoissance across the river, which developed
the enemy in heavy force. On the 19th all the compa
nies not engaged on other duty, commanded by Captain
George W. Towle, marched to Council's Landing on the
Nansernond, and joined an expedition under Colonel
Ward, of the Eighth Connecticut. The force crossed
the river and captured a battery of light guns, two brass
howitzers, and about two hundred prisoners. The next
morning a portion of the Tenth advanced and dislodged
some rebel sharpshooters from a cluster of buildings,
burned the houses, and captured two prisoners. The
place was evacuated the same afternoon, the retreat
being covered by the Tenth, which lost several men
captured. The expedition, having captured the guns
and foiled the plans of the enemy, was considered a
success. The siege of Suffolk continued about four
weeks, and was a period of extremely hard work to the
troops engaged; and when it was raised the entire
army at that place was nearly worn out by the severity
of its labors.
On the 3d of May the rebels retreated across the
Blackwater, closely followed by the Union forces, who
captured many prisoners. A week later the Tenth and
Thirteenth Regiments were again brought together in
the same brigade. On the 13th the Tenth moved to
Bowers' Hill, eight miles, in the direction of Portsmouth,
and was soon followed by all the troops, and Suffolk
was abandoned. • The division was under command of
General Getty and marched to Portsmouth, from
whence it embarked for Yorktown, where it remained
until the 26th of June, when the Tenth embarked and
sailed for White House Landing, on the Pamunkey,
where it arrived on the evening of the same day.
On the 7th of July, Colonel Donohoe, who had been
in command of the brigade for some weeks, was relieved
O
by the return of Colonel Dutton, of the Twenty-first
434 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Connecticut, the ranking Colonel, and the former was
sent sick to Norfolk. On the 10th the division marched
through Williamsburg, and arrived at Yorktown on
the afternoon of the same day, where it rested until
the 12th, when it marched to Hampton and embarked
for Portsmouth, which place it had left twenty-one days
before, and the Tenth found their tents still standing
and the camp undisturbed. Their marches during this
time had some of them been very severe, and the
weather had been so hot that some of the men were
sun-struck.
About the middle of July General John G. Foster,
a native of New Hampshire, assumed command of the
Department. On the 30th the camp was removed to
Julian's creek — a tributary of the Elizabeth, where
work on the fortifications was vigorously pressed for
ward. In September General Nagle assumed command
of the District, reviewed the Tenth Regiment and gave
them much credit for good appearance and proficiency
in drill. On the 21st of this month and on the 4th of
October, three hundred and thirty-five recruits joined the
regiment, nearly all of whom were substitutes. The
work on the defenses was completed in November, and
the winter was spent in perfecting the regiment in drill.
On the 19th of March, 1864, the Tenth Regiment
left its camp at Julian's creek and moved to Great
Bridge, about fifteen miles ; and on the 19th of April
moved from there and joined General Butler's forces
at Yorktown, which was preparing for an advance up
the James river. The regiment was assigned to the
Second Brigade, First Division of the Eighteenth
Corps — the other regiments in the brigade being the
One Hundred and Eighteenth New York, Eighth Con
necticut, and Thirteenth New Hampshire. The division
was commanded by General W. II. F. Brooks, and the
brigade by General Hiram Burnham.
TENTH REGIMENT. 435
On the 5th of May, just as the Army of the Potomac
had left the Rapidan, and was fighting its way through
the Wilderness, the army under General Butler started.
The Tenth and Thirteenth New Hampshire embarked
on board steamers and proceeded to Bermuda Hundred,
where they arrived the same evening. The next day the
troops advanced toward the Walthal Railroad, the Tenth
heading the column of infantry. They had not pro
ceeded far before the cavalry, who were in advance,
received a volley from the rebel infantry, posted in a
dense swamp, which caused them to fall back in some
confusion. Heavy skirmishing ensued, the enemy re
tiring slowly beyond the railroad. The Tenth kept
up skirmishing in front, while a force was sent around
to the right and succeeded, after considerable fighting,
in gaining possession of the railroad. The regiment
was under fire all day, and lost several men wounded.
On the 9th another advance was made. The enemy
was encountered at Arrow Hill and forced to retire
near Swift creek. The enemy made an attack upon
the Union forces after dark, but were met with such
spirit as caused them to make a hasty and disorderly
retreat. In this attack Lieut. John C. Eaton was mor
tally, and Lieut. L. F. Larkin severely wounded. A
few enlisted men were more or less wounded. Lieut.
Eaton was wounded in the leg. He refused to submit
to amputation, and died of the wound. The next day
the regiment tore up the railroad and bent the rails,
and then returned to camp. On the 13th the Tenth
was again engaged at a place called the Half Way
House, on the Richmond and Petersburg turnpike.
Major Angell was placed in command of the skirmish
line, and while pushing the skirmishers forward, at
about eleven o'clock at night, he was dangerously
wounded. Lieut. H. J. Emerson and several enlisted
men were wounded at the same time. In the morning
436 THE GREAT REBELLION.
a charge was made along the whole line upon the rebel
works, from which the enemy retreated. Sergeant
Charles II. Hoyt, of Company C, who had been com
missioned, though his commission had not reached the
regiment, was mortally wounded, and died in field
hospital.
On the morning of the 16th, under cover of a dense
fog, the enemy made a desperate attack upon the right of
the Eighteenth Corps, which position was held by Gen
eral Heckman's brigade, taking it entirely by surprise
and capturing many prisoners, among whom was Gen
eral Heckman himself. The rebels turned the flank
of the corps, and swept every thing before them. When
the enemy arrived within easy range, a well-directed
volley was opened on them, which was rapidly followed
up by continued streams of fire, mowing the rebels
down by scores, until at last, with lines utterly broken
up, they retired. They repeatedly renewed the attack,
but were as often repulsed with terrible slaughter. They
made charge after charge upon that portion of the line
held by the Tenth and Thirteenth New Hampshire regi
ments, but were each time driven back with heavy loss.
A battery was finally brought up and an attempt made
to shell them out, but it had fired hardly a dozen shots
before the gunners were disabled by the New Hampshire
boys, and the guns were silenced. Orders were sent
to Lieut. Colonel Coughlin, commanding the Tenth,
to withdraw his regiment. He replied that a brigade
further to the left, in the woods, was in danger of being
cut off, and asked permission to hold his position until
it could be extricated, which was granted. Lieut. Colo
nel Coughlin held the works for two hours, while the
brigade in the woods was notified of their danger and
marched out to the rear. The Tenth was retiring and
was closely pressed by the enemy, when some of the
men showed greater haste than was agreeable to the
TENTH REGIMENT. 437
commanding officer, and he peremptorily ordered a
halt, about-faced his command, carefully right-dressed
it, and coolly gave the order to fix bayonets. In
their surprise the rebels forgot to fire, and the com
mand was quickly about-faced again, and double-quicked
to the cover of the woods, before the enemy recovered
sufficiently from his surprise to renew his fire. The
Tenth rejoined its brigade and the whole force retired
to Bermuda Hundred, three companies of the Tenth
and one company from the Thirteenth holding the ene
my in check during the retreat. The casualties in this
affair, which is known as the battle of Drury's Bluff,
were slight, owing to the fact that the regiment fought
mostly under cover. The losses in the whole move
ment were about fifty men killed and wounded.
General Butler's army now took up its position on
the line of the intrenchments extending from the James
to the Appomattox, in front of and nearly parallel with
which was the rebel line. Each line was constantly
exposed to the fire of the other, and there were fre
quent alarms along the picket line. On the 26th of
May a reconnoissance in force was made beyond Port
Wai thai, the Tenth forming a part of the support.
Colonel Dutton, of the Twenty-first Connecticut, who
commanded the brigade, was killed on the skirmish line.
On the 31st of May the corps joined General Grant's
army, which was face to face with the enemy at Cold
Harbor. On the 1st of June the Tenth, though under
fire and with the division charging the enemy, and
driving them into their works, lost but one man
killed and one wounded. Just before daylight the
division moved near the enemy's works, and with plates,
dippers and bayonets, the men dug for their protection
a series of shallow rifle-pits, which were afterward made
into a substantial line of works. When the rebels
discovered this operation they opened fire, and many
438 THE GREAT REBELLION.
of the men were wounded. Lieut. Daniel "W". Russell
was shot through the head and instantly killed. He
was a brave officer, and his loss was deeply mourned
by the regiment.
On the 3d of June occurred the sanguinary battle of
Cold Harbor. The Tenth regiment was early and hotly
engaged. It met the enemy's skirmishers and drove
them at a double quick back to their rifle pits, and
developing a line of heavy works nearly parallel to that
occupied by the Union forces. With a spirited cheer they
rushed on, met by the most fearful fire of artillery and
musketry they had ever encountered. In less than five
minutes ninety officers and men of the regiment had
fallen ; yet the line pressed on, driving the rebels
through their first line, and into a second. Taking
position in the line abandoned by the enemy, the regi
ment at once opened fire, and held their place during
the day. A correspondent, describing the battle wrote :
"Troops never stood under a more hellish fire than was
poured upon the Tenth New Hampshire on this day.
Half of the trees were cut down by shells, and, falling
upon the dead and wounded, mangled their bodies in a
horrid manner. The bark was peeled from the trees by
bullets, and saplings, a few inches in diameter, by actual
count, bore the marks of from fifty to a hundred bullets
each. The bodies of the dead were used for breast
works, arid whole platoons were swept away by the
awful fire of grape and canister. Imagination stands
appalled in the endeavor to paint the horrors of that
day." Lieut, James Knott, of Company I, was killed,
and Captain John L. O'Brien, Adjutant J. J. Donohoe,
and Lieut. William P. Williams were wounded.
The regiment remained at the front, at Cold Harbor,
until the 12th of June, losing men killed and wounded
every day, when, with its corps it marched to White
House, and next day embarked on transports for Ber-
TENTH REGIMENT. 439
muda Hundred, and thence crossed the Appomattox and
marched toward Petersburg. They encountered the
enemy and drove them within a line of works which
was gallantly charged and carried by the negro troops,
and the rebels retired to their main line of defenses at
Petersburg. In the afternoon the artillery opened upon
the works a terrific fire, which was kept up about
twenty minutes, when the assaulting column advanced,
the Second Brigade being opposite Battery No. 5, as it
was numbered by the rebels — the Thirteenth New Hamp
shire deployed as skirmishers. With the utmost gal
lantry the skirmish line charged on the enemy's rifle-
pits, and in an instant more were scaling the ramparts
of the fort, and captured nearly every man and all the
guns in it. The rebels who escaped retired toward
Petersburg, the whole line falling into the hands of the
Union forces.
On the 16th, three companies of the Tenth were
ordered to dislodge the rebels, who, during the night,
had occupied a ravine near the captured works. The
enemy opened a galling fire, and Captain James Madden,
commanding the line, was killed with a bullet through
the heart. He was a brave and noble officer, beloved and
lamented by all. The ravine was carried by a furious
charge, and many prisoners captured. The three com
panies took fifty-four men into the fight, nine of whom
were killed or wounded. The prisoners captured con
siderably outnumbered the captors. The Eighteenth
Corps returned to the defenses of Bermuda Hundred,
and on the 21st again crossed the Appomattox, and took
position in the trenches.
On the 22d of August Lieut. Andrew "W. Doe was
killed while on picket. On the 27th the corps was or
dered to the defenses of Bermuda, and the Tenth wag
placed on the extreme right, resting on James river.
This was a comfortable, though an unhealthy, position,
440 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and nearly every man was attacked with chills and fever.
On the loth of September, Colonel Donohoe, after a
protracted absence, returned to the regiment, and Lieut.
Colonel Coughlin was assigned to the command of the
Fifth Maryland Veteran Volunteers, and afterward to a
provisional brigade of new troops from Pennsylvania ;
and was subsequently Provost Marshal of the Depart
ment of Virginia and North Carolina, including the
Army of the James.
FORT HARRISON.
On the 28th of September the Army of the James
marched to Aiken's Landing. About midnight the army
crossed the river, the Tenth in advance, and before day
light a skirmish line was formed of the Tenth and
Hundred and Eighteenth N"ew York, and the advance
was begun. At daylight the enemy's skirmishers were
encountered and rapidly driven back. Colonel Donohoe,
who commanded the skirmish line, had his horse shot
under him. The enemy was driven three or four miles
to the cover of his works on Chapin's Farm, where the
main body of troops came up and formed in the edge of
the wood for an assault upon Fort Harrison, a powerful
work on the summit of a hill, three-quarters of a mile
from the woods, the intervening slope being swept by
the enemy's cannon. The First Division emerged from
the woods and advancing toward the Fort, thirty pieces
of Artillery opened on the columns, and rebel gunboats
on the James threw their immense shells across its path.
The division moved steadily on, and in quick time, the
fast opening gaps quickly closed up, it marched well up
to the fort, and, halting for a moment to gather for the
blow, it sprang forward with defiant cheers, every step
taken at the cost of scores of brave lives ; they gained
the ditch, mounted the ramparts, and drove the enemy
TENTH REGIMENT. 441
from his guns, which were at once turned to the destruc
tion of those who had just used them with such deadly
effect. All of the enemy's dead and wounded fell into
the hands of the assilants, and many prisoners and guns
were taken. General Burnham, commanding the brig
ade, was killed while working some of the captured
guns. Later in the day another fierce fight occurred, in
which „ Colonel Donohoe was severely wounded. The
next day the enemy opened on the fort from all sides,
the gunhoats and mortar batteries joining in the bom
bardment. This was followed by an attempt to storm
the fort. The advance was to certain defeat and terrible
slaughter. Dead and disabled rebels strewed the field.
New and successive attempts were made to carry the
works, followed by the same fearful carnage. Every
advance was coolly repulsed, and the enemy abandoned
the undertaking, how reluctantly. A skirmish line, com
posed of troops from the Tenth and Thirteenth, sallied
forth after the routed rebels, and brought in about five
hundred prisoners. The victory was complete and im
portant. The losses were far greater on the rebel than
on the Union side. General Ord, commanding the corps,
and General Stannard, commanding the division, were
both wounded — the latter losing an arm. Thus the
Tenth had lost its corps, division and brigade command
ers. Captain Caswell, who was in command of the regi
ment after Colonel Donohoe was wounded, was killed.
He was a most brave and noble officer. The entire loss
of the regiment was thirty-four killed and wounded, out
of less than two hundred taken into the fight.
On the 25th of October the Eighteenth Corps moved
across the country to the Williamsburg road — the object
being to turn the enemy's left. When near Fair Oaks
the rebels came to a stand, and were driven by the
skirmishers into their works. The Second Brigade,
now reduced to about five hundred men, was ordered to
442 THE GREAT REBELLION.
charge. It moved forward under the fire of artillery
and musketry. It reached a position where to retreat
or advance were alike impossible. Far from supports,
and few to continue the assault, they were forced to lie
down within a few yards of the enemy's works, and
wait for darkness to cover their escape. The rebels,
however, captured nearly the whole brigade before night
came. Only two out of ten officers of the .Tenth
escaped, and seventy-four men were killed, wounded, or
captured. To prevent the colors from falling into the
hands of the enemy they were taken from the staffs.
The State flag was destroyed, and the stars and stripes
were wrapped around the body of Sergeant John H.
Durgin, who was afterward taken prisoner, and died at
Salisbury, but the flag was never heard from. Lieut.
Henry II. Emerson was killed; Captains John C. Kee-
nan and M. F. Corcoran were captured, and Captains
Crowley and Doyle, and Lieuts. Larkin, Mitchell and
Tucker were wounded. Nearly all the men who were
captured died in the rebel prison at Salisbury. • The
next morning the troops reached camp. They remained
in the lines before Richmond all winter, employed in
the usual duties of troops before the enemy.
At the final advance on Richmond, in April, 1865,
the Tenth was among the first to enter the city. It
remained at Manchester, opposite Richmond, on provost
guard duty, until about the 21st of June, when it was
mustered out of the United States service and in com
pany with the Twelfth and Thirteenth New Hampshire,
forming a brigade, under command of Brevet Brigadier
General Donohoe, it started for home, arriving in Bos
ton on the 25th. At Nashua, Manchester and Concord
the brigade was cordially received and handsomely
entertained by the citizens. At Concord the men
received their pay and final discharge.
Many officers were detailed from this regiment for
TENTH REGIMENT. 443
important and honorable staff and other duty, though
the promotions from it were not so numerous as from
some other ones which went from the State. The regi
ment was largely composed of foreigners, who leave
a record highly creditable for patriotism, bravery and
good conduct; those who survive are entitled to the
gratitude of the State and nation ; and its dead upon
many hard fought fields, in rebel prisons, and in hos
pitals, to an honorable record in the history of the great
rebellion.
444 TEE GREAT REBELLION.
ELEVENTH REGIMENT.
The Eleventh Regiment was enlisted in August, and
its muster into the United States service was completed
early in September, 1862. It rendezvoused at Con
cord. It was raised under the same call for troops as
the Tenth, and the men composing it were paid the same
bounties. The following were the officers of this
regiment, with their official record, during the term of
service :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONEL — Walter Harriman, of Warner.
Captured May 6, 1864. Exchanged Sept. 12, 1864. Appointed Brigadier
General U. S. V., by brevet, for gallant conduct during the war, to date from
March 13, 1865. Mustered out as Colonel June 4, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Moses N. Collins, of Exeter.
Killed in action May 6, 1864.
Leander W. Cogswell, of Henniker.
Not mustered. Honorably discharged as Captain April 26, 1865.
Majors — Moses N. Collins, of Exeter.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Sept. 9, 1862.
Evarts W. Farr, of Littleton.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Adjutants — Charles R. Morrison, of Nashua.
Wounded severely May 12. 1864. Honorably discharged Sept. 9, 1864.
William A. ISTason, of New London.
Not mustered. Mustered out as First Lieut. June 4, 1865.
Quartermasters — James F. Brings, of Ilillsborough.
Honorably discharged Aug. 1, 1863.
Gilman B. Johnson, of Epping.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Surgeons — John S. Ross, of Somersworth.
Honorably discharged for disability Dec. 7, 1864.
John A. Hayes, of Concord.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Assistant Surgeons — John A. Hayes, of Concord.
Promoted to Surgeon Jan. 2, 1865.
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 445
Edward R. Hutchins, of Concord.
Resigned Dec. 25, 1862.
John C. W. Moore, of Concord.
Mustered out Oct. 11, 1864.
Charles M. Jones.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Chaplains — Frank K Stratton, of Hampton.
Resigned May 5, 1863.
Edward T. Lyford, of Deerfield.
Resigned May 13, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — Josiah W. Taylor.
Wounded severely May 6, 1864. Died of disease March 18, 1865.
Jonathan T. Williams, of Suttdn.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeant — Henry L. Colby, of Warner.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Commissary Sergeant — William S. Carter, of Warner.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — Charles M. Jones.
Promoted to Assistant Surgeon Jan. 2, 1865.
George P. Ladd, of Deering.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Principal Musician — Andrew J. Coffin, of Epping.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — Horace C. Bacon, of Epping.
Wounded Dec. 13, 1862. Honorably discharged June 11, 1864.
J. Charles Currier, of Deny.
Wounded severely Sept. 30, 1864. Honorably discharged Jan. 18, 1865.
Charles E. Frost, of Hampstead.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — George !N". Shepard, of Epping.
Wounded Dec. 13. 1862. Promoted to Captain May 6, 1864.
Charles Davis, jr., of Warner.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 20, 1864.
Charles E. Bartlett.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Gilman B. Johnson, of Epping.
Promoted to Quartermaster, April 22, 1864.
Charles E. Bartlett,
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 17, 1865.
446 THE GREA T REBELLION.
Co. B. — Captains — Sewell D. Tilton, of Raymond.
Wounded severely May 30, 1864. Mustered out June 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Isaac H. Morrison, of Deering.
Wounded slightly Dec. 13, 1862. Honorably discharged Sept. 3, 1864.
Merrill Johnson, of Deering.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Joseph H. Cram, of Deering.
Discharged Feb. 5, 1864.
John E. Cram, of Raymond.
Wounded severely May 12, 1864. Honorably discharged on account of
wounds Oct. 19, 1864.
George W. Caswell, of South Newmarket.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Not mustered. Discharged for disability at
Concord, May 20, 1865.
Co. C. — Captain. — Hollis O. Dudley, of Manchester.
Wounded slightly May 6, 1864. Mustered out June 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Joseph B. Clark, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain May 1, 1863.
Jeremiah D. Lyford, of Manchester.
Died of disease Dec. 9, 1864.
Charles C. Page, of Candia.
Wounded severely June 2, 1864. Transferred from Co. I. Not mustered.
Unable to accept on account of wounds. Mustered out as Sergeant Aug. 23,1865.
Will C. Wood, of Lyme.
Transferred from Co. H. Mustered out June 4, 1863.
Second Lieuts. — T. P. Heath, of Manchester.
Resigned Aug. 3, 1863.
Ira G. Wilkins, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 5, 1864.
Co. D. Captains — Leander W. Cogswell, of Henniker.
Promoted to" Lieut. Colonel Aug. 20, 1864.
Charles Davis, Jr., of Warner.
Wounded severely Sept. 30, 1864. Not mustered. Honorably discharged as
First Lieut. Jan. 20, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Thomas L. Sanhorn, of Henniker.
Resigned Feb. 23, 1863.
David C. Harriman, of Warner.
Resigned June 27, 1863.
Joseph !N". Modica, of Henniker.
Appointed Captain U. S. V., by brevet, for gallant and meritorious conduct
before Petersburg, Va., to date from April 2, 1865. Mustered out as First
Lieut. June 4, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — David C. Harriman, of Warner.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 27, 1863.
Charles Davis, Jr., of Warner.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 25, 1864.
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 447
Co. E. — Captains — Amos B. Shattuck, of Manchester.
Wounded Dec. 13, 1862. Died of wounds Dec 17, 1862.
Arthur C. Locke, of Epsom.
Wounded Sept. 30, 1864. Mustered out June 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Arthur C. Locke, of Epsom.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 18, 1862.
Henry G-. Dillenback, of Berry.
Honorably discharged July 22, 1864.
Charles E. Frost, of Hampstead.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 17, 1865.
Solomon Dodge, Jr., of New Boston.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Second Lieut, — Charles E. Frost, of Hampstead.
Wounded Nov. 19, 1863. Promoted to First Lieut. July 22, 1864.
Co. F. — Captains — Samuel M. Carr, of New London.
Resigned Jan. 29, 1863.
Charles Woodward, of New London.
Honorably discharged June 23, 1864.
Orlando W. Dimick, of Lyme.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Austin TV. Messer, of New London.
Discharged for disability Sept. 29, 1862.
Hiram K. Little, of Sutton.
Wounded. Died of wounds at David's Island, N. Y., July 4, 1864.
William A. Nason, of New London.
Promoted to Adjutant Dec. 1, 1864.
R. Baxter Brown, of Candia.
Transferred to Co. I.
Second Lieuts. — Hiram K. Little, of Sutton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 30, 1863.
E. Freeman Sanborn, of Springfield.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 25, 1864.
Co. G. — Captains — George E. Pingree, of Lisbon.
Honorably discharged to accept appointment in V. R. C., April 30, 1864.
J. LeRoy Bell, of Haverhill.
Wounded July 30, 1864. Wounded Sept. 30, 1864. Mustered out June
4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Arthur E. Hutchins, of Bath.
Killed in action May 6, 1864.
L. Newell Sawyer, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 1, 1864.
Ira G. Wilkins, of Manchester.
Wounded April 2, 1865. Appointed Captain U. S. V., by brevet, for
gallant and meritorious conduct in the assault before Petersburg, Va., to dato
from April 2, 1865. Mustered out June 4, 1865.
448 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Second Lieut. — J. LeRoy Bell, of Haverhill.
Wounded slightly May 12, 1864. Wounded slightly June 2, 1864. Pro
moted to Captain July 22, 1864.
Co. 11. — Captains — Convers G. Morgan, of Enfield.
Dismissed April 18, 1863.
Joseph B. Clark, of Manchester.
Wounded severely May 6, 1864. Mustered out June 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Orlando W. Dimick, of Lyme.
Promoted to Captain July 22, 1864.
Frank S. Bean, of Enfield.
Transferred to Co. I, Sept. 23, 1864.
Will C. Wood, of Lyme.
Transferred to Co. I.
Second Lieuts. — Allen II. George, of Canaan.
Honorably discharged May 23, 1864.
Frank S. Bean, of Enfield.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 25, 1864.
Will C. Wood of Lyme.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 2, 1865.
Co. I. — Captains — William R. Patten, of Candia.
Honorably discharged April 20, 1864.
George N. Shepard, of Epping.
Wounded severely June 2, 1864. Mustered "out June 4, 1865.
First Lieuts. — John K. Cilley, of Exeter.
Promoted to Captain and A. Q. M. U. S. V. April 7, 1864.
J. Charles Currier, of Deny.
Promoted to Captain June 28, 1864.
R. Freeman Sanborn, of Springfield.
Honorably discharged Aug. 9, 1864.
Frank S. Bean, of Enfield.
Transferred from Co. H Sept. 23, 1864. Wounded Sept. 30, 1864. Died of
Wounds Nov. 25, 1864.
Charles C. Page, of Candia.
Transferred to Co. C.
R. Baxter Brown, of Candia.
Transferred from Co. F. Mustered out June 4, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — J. Charles Currier, of Derry.
Wounded severely May 6, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. May if, 1864.
R. Baxter Brown, of Candia.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 5, 1864.
Co. 3L — Captains — Nathaniel Lowe, jr., of Dover.
Promoted to Captain and A. Q. M. U. S. V. June 16, 1364.
L. Newell Sawyer, of Dover.
Mustered out June 4, 1865.
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 449
First Lieuts. — B. Frank Rackley, of Dover.
Resigned Dec. 22, 1862.
Henry W. Twombly, of Dover.
Resigned July 19, 1863.
Charles E. Everett, of Dover.
Promoted to Captain May 15. 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Henry "W. Twombly, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 24, 1863.
L. Newell Sawyer, of Dover.
Wounded slightly June 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. July 25, 1864.
George P. Demerritt, of Durham.
Not mustered. Mustered out as Sergeant June 4, 1865.
GENERAL WALTER HARRIMAN.
General Harriman was born at Warner, in Merrimack
County, New Hampshire, where he has always resided.
He received a good public school and academic educa
tion in "Warner and .other places. In his early days he
taught school considerably, and thus spent one year in
the State of New Jersey. At the age of twenty years —
without any especial preparation and without consulta
tion with a single clergyman — he commenced preaching,
and was known for years throughout the State as one
of its most eloquent and stirring preachers of the
Universalist doctrines. He subsequently became engag
ed in trade, and then interested himself in the political
affairs of the state and nation, and abandoned the sacred
desk altogether. In 1849 he was elected a representa
tive in the State Legislature from the town of Warner,
and was re-elected in 1850. He often engaged in
debates in the House, and took a leading position. In
June, 1853, he was elected State Treasurer, and was re-
elected in 1854, serving the State in this responsible
position to the acceptance of all. In 1856 he was
appointed by President Pierce a Commissioner to clas
sify and appraise Indian Lands in Kansas Territory,
which duty he performed with great care and faithful-
450 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ness, satisfying all parties interested. In 1858 General
Harriman was again elected to the "popular branch of
the Legislature from the town of Warner, and was a lead
ing member on the Democratic side of the House. In
1859 he was elected to the State Senate from the Eighth
District, and was re-elected in 1860. During all these
years that General Harriman had given attention to po
litical matters he was known not only in New Hampshire
but other states as one of the most able and effective
speakers in the party to which he had up to this time
belonged. He had at different times spoken upon state
and national politics in every county and almost every
considerable town in the State, and in some of them
several times.
In the spring of 1861 General Harriman became
editor of the Union Democrat, at Manchester, and bold
ly and fearlessly took and ably maintained ground in
favor of the national government and the administration
of Abraham Lincoln, so far as its war policy was concern
ed. The principles then and subsequently espoused and
advocated by him were so much at variance with those
entertained by the body of the party with which he had
always acted and labored so earnestly, and which had
honored him by appointments and elections to places of
trust and profit, as to occasion an estrangement; and
from that time he has acted with the national adminis
tration and the Republican party. In August, 1862, he
was appointed Colonel of the Eleventh New Hampshire
Volunteers, immediately set about addressing public
meetings, and raised his regiment in a few days. He
went to the field with his regiment, and was with it
most of the time until the close of the war, except four
months that he was in the hands of the enemy as a
prisoner. He was captured at the battle of the Wilder
ness, on the 6th of May, and was not exchanged until
the 12th of September, 1864. He was one of the num-
ELE VENTH REGIMENT. 451
ber of Union officers drafted at Macon, Georgia, to be
kept in prison in that part of Charleston most exposed
by the bombardment of the city from Morris Island by
the -Union forces. He and other Union officers were
kept in this most perilous situation for seven weeks, but
fortunately the building in which they were confined
was unharmed.
Colonel Harriman was with his regiment in the siege
of Petersburg, and when preparations were made for
the final assault, which was rendered unnecessary by the
evacuation of the city by the enemy, he was in command
of a brigade of nine regiments, and thus on the 3d of
April, 1865, marched over the rebel works and into
Petersburg on the heels of Lee's flying army. He was
appointed Brigadier General, by brevet, "for gallant
conduct during the war, to date from March 13, 1865."
He saw the rebellion snuffed out, and came home with
his regiment. In June,' 1865, General Harriman was
elected Secretary of State, and was re-elected in 1866.
In January, 1867, General Harriman was nominated
as the Republican candidate for Governor, and after a
sharp and decisive contest — he meeting in joint debate
the opposing candidate, Hon. John G. Sinclair, — was
elected by a handsome majority. He was re-elected in
1868, after a most severe contest, receiving a larger vote
than any candidate for any office had received before, or
has received since, in the State. During the two years
that he was Governor he discharged the somewhat ardu
ous and difficult duties of the office in a most able and
acceptable manner. In 1869 Governor Harriman was
appointed Naval Officer at Boston, by President Grant,
which position he now holds.
In the fall of 1864, while home from his imprison
ment, General Harriman stumped the country for the
re-election of President Lincoln, with a success equal,
at least, to that of any other speaker in that campaign.
452 THE GREA T REBELLION.
He again stumped the country from Maine to Indiana,
for General Grant, in 1868, with most flattering results.
He is emphatically a man of the people. His command
ing figure — being six feet two inches tall — tine Voice
and earnest manner, and his perfect familiarity with all
the political issues of the time, combine to make him
one of the most popular and effective speakers in the
country. Such is his popularity as a man that he is said
never to have been defeated when a candidate for any
office. f
LIEUT. COLONEL MOSES N. COLLINS.
Lieut. Colonel Collins was born at Brentwood, Rock-
ingham County, New Hampshire, in April, 1820. He
received a thorough academic education at Gilmanton
and Hampton Falls, and subsequently for several years
was engaged in teaching in the State of Maryland.
Later he commenced the study of law in the office of
Messrs. Murphy and Bartlett, of Epping, and completed
his course in the office of Hon. Gil man Marston, at
Exeter. He was admitted to the Rockingham County
Bar in 1857, and immediately opened an office at Exeter,
where he soon made himself known as an able, indus
trious and successful lawyer. He was elected a member
of the popular branch of the New Hampshire Legisla
ture from Brentwood, in 1855, and from Exeter in
1861 and 1862.
In the summer of 1862, after the disastrous defeat
of the Union arms in the second battle of Bull Run ;
the uncertain results of the Peninsular campaign, and
the national existence seemed trembling in the balance,
an appeal was made to the patriotism of every Ameri
can to rush to the rescue of the Government from its
imperiled condition. Lieut. Colonel Collins was one
of those who regarded the perpetuity of the constitution
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 453
and laws as paramount to every other consideration,
and accordingly offered his services, and his life, if it
should be required, to the State authorities, in any
capacity where he could do most toward crushing out the
rebellion. He was accordingly tendered and accepted
the appointment of Major of the Eleventh Regiment
of Volunteer Infantry, and before the organization left
the State was promoted to Lieut. Colonel. IJe bore
a conspicuous part in nearly all the battles and skir
mishes in which the regiment was engaged, being often
in command, until that of the Wilderness, on the 6th
of May, 1864, when he was among the killed. While
gallantly leading his men in a charge upon the enemy,
he fell, with a musket ball through the head — a noble
sacrifice in a holy cause.
The Eleventh Regiment left Concord on the llth of
September, 1862, and arrived at Washington on the
14th, and was brigaded with the Twenty-first Connecti
cut, and Thirty-seventh Massachusetts, under command
of Brigadier General Henry S. Briggs, of Massachusetts,
and constituted a part of Casey's reserved corps. Early
in October the Regiment marched to Pleasant Valley,
Maryland, and was brigaded with the Thirty-fifth and
Twenty-first Massachusetts, Fifty-first New York, and
Fifty-first Pennsylvania, and was the Second Brigade,
Second Division, Ninth Army Corps, the brigade com
mander being acting Brigadier General E. Ferrero. On
the 27th of October the Army of the Potomac started in
pursuit of General Lee's retreating army, the division
to which the Eleventh belonged being in the advance.
The enemy was closely pursued and driven from point
to point, occasionally skirmishing, without any serious
engagement, or the loss of any men to the regiment.
They reached Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, on
the 19th of November, and went into camp, where they
454 THE GREAT REBELLION.
remained drilling and performing 'ordinary camp and
picket duty, until they engaged in the
BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG.
The Eleventh Regiment crossed the Rappahannock
on the morning of the 12th of December. It was not
put into the fight until about twelve o'clock on the 13th,
when it was ordered to the railroad, and thence advanc
ed to the bottom of a slope across an open plain swept
by the enemy's fire of infantry and artillery, with noth
ing to divert that fire, and two or three fences to impede
the progress of the regiment and add to its exposure.
The order to advance given by Colonel Harriman on
the right and Major Farr on the left, was promptly
obeyed, and they proceeded upon the double-quick to
the point indicated, which was not more than twenty
rods from the rebel intrenchments. The position was
held by a few companies that had preceded the regiment.
For nearly two hours they sustained a tremenduous fire
from the enemy's strongholds, nearly alone. The enemy
were well protected by their intrenchments, while the
regiment was considerably below them and only partially-
protected when flat upon the ground, by the character
of the slope. The men were ordered to lie down and
load, and then stand up, take aim and fire. Some,
however, were so eager for the fray and reckless of
consequences, that they persisted in standing bolt up
right all the while. The enemy rushed down the slope
several times as if to make a charge, but were met with
terrific volleys from the Eleventh and repulsed. Every
man stood firm and would not yield an inch. After
the ammunition was nearly exhausted, only a few
rounds being reserved for an emergancy, and when
there were indications that they might be called upon
to make or meet a charge, Colonel Harriman gave
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 455
orders to fix bayonets. Some of the men by procuring
ammunition from other regiments which had come up,
and from the cartridge-boxes of the dead, kept up a
continuous fire. Regiment after regiment came up,
and so the battle raged, the fire of the enemy's musket
ry and artillery being most murderous and terrific, until
after dark, when the regiment was withdrawn. On a
single acre, embracing the ground held by the New
Hampshire Eleventh, as measured by those who after
ward went over to bury the dead, there were six
hundred and twenty dead men. The conduct of the
regiment on that day was the subject of universal
commendation. The General in command, in an ad
dress said : "To the new troops who fought so nobly
on the 13th, on their first battle-field, thanks are espe
cially due; they have every way proved themselves
worthy to stand side by side with the veterans of the
Second brigade." The New Hampshire Eleventh were
the only " new troops " in that brigade, and of course
appropriated this high and well deserved compliment.
In this battle the regiment had fourteen men killed,
one hundred and fifty-six wrounded and twenty-four
missing. . Of the latter some afterward came in ; some
are supposed to have been killed, others were wounded
or prisoners. Many died of wounds not supposed at
the time to be fatal. Among these was Captain Amos
B. Shattuck, an excellent officer and much esteemed
man.
The Eleventh Regiment remained at the heights of
Strafford until the llth of February, 1863, when with
the rest of the corps they were at Newport News until
the the 26th of March, and then went to Covington,
Kentucky, to protect the people from guerrillas and
drive out the rebel forces. They remained in the State,
at different places until the 4th of June, when they
were removed to Yicksburg. Here Colonel Harriman
456 THE GREAT REBELLION.
resigned and Lieut. Colonel Collins -assumed command
of the regiment.
After the surrender of Vicksburg, on the of 4th July,
the Eleventh, with other troops started in pursuit of
Johnston, the details of which movement are given in
the history of the Sixth Regiment. The regiment
returned to Milldale where it remained until the 6th
of August, suffering like the other regiments from the
unhealthiness of the location. From there it proceeded
to Cincinnati, where it arrived on the 14th, sadly re
duced in numbers and strength, by exposure to the
malaria of the swamps in the vicinity of Yicksburg.
The regiment marched over to Covington, Kentucky
and remained there until the 26th ®f August, when
they were successively at Nicholasville, Camp Parke,
Crab Orchard and Loudon, Kentucky, and were then
engaged in the
SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE.
After a very tedious march the Eleventh arrived at
Knoxville on the 29th of October, and on the 17th of
November were joined by General Burnside and his
gallant little army of thirteen thousand men, who were
closely followed by Longstreet with his excellent force,
thirty thousand strong, and the siege of Knoxville com
menced. Trenches were thrown up; trees were felled ;
forts were built ; dams were erected on the small creek
separating the city proper from North Knoxville, and
other preparations made for a defense of the city. The
Eleventh shared all the hardships of the siege, short
rations, etc., until the night of the 28th of November,
when the rebels made an attack along the whole line,
and skirmishing continued through the night. At five
o'clock in the morning the enemy opened with renewed
vigor on the whole front, the object being to capture
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 457
Fort Sanders, at the west part of the town. Against
this Longstreet hurled five thousand of his best troops,
who were mowed down like grass by the Union battery.
The enemy charged bravely, but it was only to meet
sudden death. At seven o'clock the enemy, repulsed
at every point, withdrew from the contest, leaving a
thousand dead and wounded along the lines, while only
ten or twelve men had been killed or wounded on the
Union side. In a day or two news came of the victory
at Chattanooga, and ringing cheers ran along the whole
line. On the 5th of December the enemy commenced a
retreat, and troops were sent in all directions in pursuit,
who brought in a large number of prisoners. On the
7th an advance was made up the valley, to force Long-
street inside the Clinch mountains, and keep him from
Cumberland Gap. After considerable skirmishing the
Eleventh went into camp at Lee's Springs, and remained
there three weeks. Rations had become very short,
some days only a single ear of corn being issued to the
men. The Eleventh had drawn very little of any kind
of clothing for the five months that they had been in
Tennessee, and they could be tracked by the marks of
bloody feet while marching. In lieu of shoes, green
hides were issued to the men, of which they made
moccasins.
The last of February, 1864, Colonel Harriman rejoin
ed the regiment, and was received with much enthu
siasm. He had been re-commissioned as Colonel of the
Eleventh, and had marched over the mountains, a dis
tance of two hundred and forty miles, in command of a
detachment of six hundred recruits for that and other
regiments.
On the 18th of March orders were received to proceed
to Annapolis, and the troops after long and tedious
inarching and railroad transportation, arrived there on
the 7th of April and went into camp. The Ninth
458 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Corps, under its favorite commander,. General Burnside,
was reorganized, enlarged and made to embrace four
heavy divisions. Here they remained, drilling, clothing,
arming and organizing until the 23d of April, when it
began another march to the front.
At the battle of the "Wilderness, on the 6th of May
the regiment was under fire nearly all day. At one
o'clock the brigade advanced through the Wilderness
in good order, in the face of a terrific fire. It passed
one line of Union troops lying close to the ground, not
engaged, came to another similar line and passed that
also, when about three hundred Western men from
that line sprang to their feet and rallied under the flag
of the Eleventh and joined their fortunes with them.
They pressed forward with spirit and carried two suc
cessive lines of the enemy's works at the point of the
bayonet, driving the rebels from their last intrenchments
in their front, and nearly out of the Wilderness. In
this bloody engagement the regiment lost severely in
both officers and men. Colonel Harrinian was captured;
Lieut. Colonel Collins was killed ; Captain J. B. Clark
and Lieut. J. C. Currier were wounded severely, and
Captain H. 0. Dudley slightly ; Lieut. Arthur E. Hutch-
ins, serving on General Griffin's staff, was killed. The
command of the regiment devolved on Captain Tilton.
On the 12th of May occured the battle of Spottsyl-
vania. The advance was commenced before daylight.
The enemy's pickets were soon encountered. The
Eleventh discovered a regiment of the enemy dressed
in Union blue, detected their character, and at once
attacked them. The fighting was terrific all along the
lines, in which hundreds of pieces of artillery and
thousands of muskets dealt death on every hand.
Among the wounded in this fight were Adjutant Mor
rison and Lieut. John E. Cram, who at the time had
the colors in his hand. The position of the Eleventh
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 459
was just to the left of where the Second Corps captured
the rebel General Bushrod Johnson and about five
thousand prisoners.
On the 16th, in a skirmish with the enemy the regi
ment lost several men killed and wounded. On the
24th the regiment was under fire at North Anna river.
On the 25th and 26th in picket and skirmish firing
several of the men were wounded.
At Cold Harbor, notwithstanding the regiment was
not used in the offensive movement, the battle being
fought mainly by the other troops, it was under fire and
a number of its men were killed and wounded. Cap
tain Shepard, of Company I, being among the latter.
On the 16th and 17th of June, in an engagement with
the enemy before Petersburg, the regiment lost several
prisoners, among them Lieut. Dimick. On the 21st
Lieut. Little was mortally wounded while on the picket
line.
The months of June and July were spent by the
regiment in the trenches before Petersburg, and on the
30th of July took an active part in the celebrated battle
of the " Mine." Captain Tilton, who had been in com
mand of the regiment from the 17th of June, was
wounded early in the morning, and the command
devolved on Captain Locke. The result of the attack
was a repulse of the Union troops. The Eleventh occu
pied the " crater" most of the day, and lost heavily.
The colors were twice lost and twice retaken, and were
finally torn in two — the enemy retaining half while the
remaining half was retained by the regiment.
In September the regiment took part in the move
ments on the Weldon railroad. On the 30th it moved
to Poplar Grove Church, and was actively engaged at
Pegram's Farm, where it lost heavily in killed and
wounded. Among the wounded were Captains Locke —
commanding the regiment — Currier and Bell, and
460 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Lieuts. Davis, Brown and Bean — the latter mortally.
Captain Shepard succeeded to the command of the regi
ment, which he held until the 1st of October, when
Captain Dudley returned from leave of absence and
succeeded him. On the 27th the regiment took part in
the engagement at Hatcher's Run, where it lost two
men wounded arid the Sergeant Major captured. On
the 31st, by order of the commanding general, Captain
Shepard again took command of the regiment.
On the 21st of November Colonel Harriman returned
to the regiment from his imprisonment, and was cor
dially welcomed. On the 29th the regiment, wTith the
Ninth Corps, moved to the front of Petersburg, where
it went into camp near Hancock Station, on the military
railroad, and remained there until the 2d of April, 1865,
engaged in picket duty, skirmishing and preparing for
the last great struggle. On the 25th of March the
enemy made a vigorous assault upon the lines of the
Ninth Corps, at Fort Steadman, at daylight. They took
the fort, but an hour later were driven back with great
slaughter, and a loss of two thousand prisoners.
On Sunday morning, April 2d, at three o'clock, the
grand charge all along the lines, from the Appomattox
river to Hatcher's Run, was made. It was a great day
and a great battle. The division commander having
been wounded during the day, General Griffin assumed
command, and Colonel Harriman took charge of the
brigade, while the command of the Eleventh Regiment
devolved on Captain Dudley. About midnight it be
came evident 'that the rebels were evacuating Peters
burg. The city was on fire at three different points.
Half an hour before day, on the 3d, an advance was
ordered. The troops moved cautiously at first, but
hurriedly very- soon, and sprang over the rebel breast
works with a shout of triumph. The brigade com
manded by Colonel Harriman, consisting of the Sixth,
ELEVENTH REGIMENT. 461
.Ninth and Eleventh, and six other regiments, marched
through Petersburg, with bands playing and banners
flying. The common people, and especially the colored
population, received the troops with demonstrations of
joy, while most of the rich, aristocratic, original rebels
were sour and glum. Secession was dead, and this
latter class distinctly saw and keenly felt it. The
army closely pursued Lee to Appomattox Court House,
where, on the 9th, he surrendered the great army of
Northern Virginia to General Grant, and the four years'
war of the rebellion was virtually ended.
The Eleventh Regiment joined in the grand review
of the Second, Fifth and Ninth Corps, Sherman's entire
army, and some other troops, at Washington, on the 23d
and 24th of May. It was the grandest spectacle of the
kind ever witnessed in this country. Two hundred
thousand armed veterans passed the whole length of
Pennsylvania Avenue, the reviewing officers being sta
tioned in front of the President's house. It has been
confidently claimed that, in soldier-like bearing and
general appearance, no corps eclipsed the Ninth; no
division the Second of that corps; no brigade the Second
of that division, and no troops those of that brigade
from New Hampshire.
The Eleventh was mustered out of the United States
service on the 4th of June, and immediately started for
home, arriving at Concord on the afternoon of the 7th,
meeting with a hearty reception in the State House
yard. On the 10th the regiment was paid off and for
mally discharged. By order of the commanding gen
eral of the army, for meritorious conduct in battle, the
Eleventh Regiment inscribed upon, its banner — "Fred-
ericksburg, Yicksburg, Jackson, East Tennessee, the
Wilderness, Spotts37lvania, North Anna, Cold Harbor,
Weldon Railroad, Poplar Grove Church, Hatcher's
Run, Petersburg."
462 THE GREAT REBELLION.
•
TWELFTH REGIMENT.
On the 10th of August, 1862, in response to the call
of the President for three hundred thousand volunteers
for three years, some prominent citizens of Belknap
and Carroll Counties asked permission of Governor
Berry to raise and officer a regiment of infantry, which
was granted, on condition that it could be done in ten
days. On the 16th of the same month the Adjutant
General was notified that ten full companies had been
raised, organized and were ready to be mustered into
the United States service. They were ordered into
camp at Concord on the 3d of September, and by the
25th the regimental organization was completed. The
following were its field, staff and company officers, with
their official record, from the date of its muster-in to
that of its muster-out :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Joseph H. Potter, of Concord.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Promoted to Brigadier General U. S. V. May 1,1865.
Thomas E. Barker, of Barnstead.
Not mustered. Mustered out as Lieut. Colonel Tune 21, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — John F. Marsh of Hudson.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Honorably discharged May 28, 1864.
George D. Savage, of Alton.
Honorably discharged May 28, 1864.
Thomas E. Barker, of Barnstead.
Promoted to Colonel May 26, 1865.
Majors — George D. Savage, of Alton.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Feb. 5, 1864.
John F. Langley, of Pittsfield.
Honorably discharged Sept. 22, 1864.
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 463
Nathaniel Shackford, of Holderness
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Adjutants — Daniel S. Bedee, of Meredith.
Resigned May 15, 1863.
Andrew M. Heath, of London.
Wounded slightly July 30, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan. 10, 1865.
Rufus E. Gale, of Gilmanton.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
(Quartermaster — Isaiah Winch, of Meredith.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Surgeon — Hadley B. Fowler, of Bristol.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Ass't Surgeons — Charles W. Hunt, of Laconia.
Died of typhoid fever, at Point Lookout, Md., August 24, 1863.
Samuel P. Carbee, of Bath.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
John H. Sanborn, of Meredith.
Resigned July 21, 1864.
Chaplains — Thomas L. Ambrose, of Ossipee.
Wounded severely July 24, 1864. Died of wounds Aug. 19, 1864.
Josiah B. Higgins.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — Edwin E. Bedee.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 22, 1862.
Andrew M. Heath, of Loudon.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 26, 1863.
Asa W. Bartlett, of Pittsfield.
Promoted to Second Lieut. March 3, 1864.
Frederick P. Rhodes, of New Hampton.
Reduced to the ranks for cowardice, and assigned to Co. E, June 12, 1864.
Edward F. Gordon, of New Hampton.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 1, 1865.
David S. Dockham, of Gilmanton.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 6, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeants — Josiah H. Prescott.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Nov. 18, 1862.
George W. Edwards.
Promoted to Second Lieut. May 18, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — John H. Prescott, of Pittsfield.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Feb. 8, 1864.
George B. Lane, of Gilford.
Promoted to Second Lieut. May 26, 1865,
Hospital Steward— Thomas E. Hunt, of Gilford.
Mustered out June 21, 1865
464 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Principal Musicians — James S. Baker, of Holderness.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Ira C. Evans, of Concord.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — Moses H. Savage of New Durham.
Killed Maj 3, 1863.
William H. H. Fernald, of Gilford.
Honorably discharged Dec. 7, 1864.
Ephraim W. Kicker.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — James N. York, of Alton.
Resigned Feb. 9, 1863.
Andrew J. Huntoon, of Plymouth.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 1, 1864.
Gorham P. Dunn, of Laconia.
Killed at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, 1864
Ephraim W. Ricker.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Nathan Chesley, of Alton.
Discharged Feb. 7, 1863
Arthur St. Clair Smith, of Gilford.
Transferred to Co. B.
Mayhew C. Batchelder, of New Durham.
Promoted to First Lieut, July 20, 1864.
Co. B. — Captains — Thomas E. Barker, of Barnstead.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Sept. 30, 1864.
James W. Saunders, of Alexandria.
Discharged May 19, 1865.
First Lieuts. — John M. Durgin, of Gilmanton.
Promoted to Captain May 4, 1863.
Horace Edgerly, of Barnstead.
Resigned June 9, 1864.
Mayhew C. Batchelder, of New Durham.
Wounded slightly Aug. 19, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Charles E. Marsh, of Gilmanton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 4, 1863.
Gorham P. Dunn, of Laconia.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 1, 1864.
Eufus E. Gale, of Gilmanton.
Promoted to First Lieut Aug, 16, 1864
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 465
Arthur St. Glair Smith, of Gilford.
Transferred from Co. A. Wounded severely May 3, 1863. Promoted to
First Lieut. June 12, 1863.
Co. C.— Captains— Blake Fowler, of Bristol.
Resigned May 11, 1863
John M. Durgin, of Gilmanton.
Resigned Jan. 4, 18G4
James T. Smith, of Danbury.
Honorably discharged Sept. 22, 1864
Asa W. Bartlett, of Pittsfield.
Honorably discharged for disability March 18, 1865
Daniel W. Bohonon.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — James T. Smith, of Danbury.
Promoted to Captain April 22, 1863.
Henry A. L. French, of Pittsfield.
Killed July 2, 1863.
Charles E. Marsh, of Gilmanton.
Transferred from Co. F. Discharged Oct. 15, 1863.
Hosea Q. Sargent, of Xew Hampton.
Promoted to Captain March 3, 1864.
Joseph K. "\Vhittier, of Laconia.
Transferred to Co. D.
James W. Saunders, of Alexandria.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 28, 1864.
George E. Worthen.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lients. — IT. Q. Sargent, of !N"e\v Hampton.
Wounded severely May 3, 1863. Promoted to First Lieut May 4, 1863.
James W. Saunders, of Alexandria.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 15, 1864.
George K. Hughes.
Not mustered. Killed at Cold Harbor, Va., June 4, 1864.
Co. D. — Captains — J. Ware Butterfield, of Sanbornton.
Honorably discharged Nov. 17, 1862.
Orlando W. Keyes, of Holderness.
Killed May 3, 1863.
John S. Yeasey, of Gilford.
Dismissed Feb. 15, 1864.
Andrew J. Huntoon, of Plymouth.
Honorably discharged June 15, 1864.
John W. Johnson, of Pittsfield.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
466 THE GREAT REBELLION.
First Lieuts.— David E. Everett,, of Bristol.
Discharged Jan. 23, 1863.
John S. Veasey, of Gilford.
Promoted to Captain Aug. 25, 1863.
Joseph K. Whittier, of Laconia.
Transferred from Co. C. Killed at Cold Harbor, Va., June 3, 1864.
George "W. Hall, of Sanbornton.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — B. M. Merrill, of Sanbornton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 18, 1862.
Josiah H. Prescott.
Discharged for disability June 25, 1863.
George W. Hall, of Sanbornton.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 20, 1864.
Co. E. — Captains — Nathaniel Shackford, of Holderness.
Wounded slightly May 3, 1863. Wounded severely June 3, 1864. Promoted
to Major Nov. 16, 1864.
Andrew M. Heath, of London.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Orlando W. Iveyes, of Ilolderness.
Promoted'to Captain Nov. 18, 1862.
Bradbury M. Merrill, of Sanbornton.
Honorably discharged Nov. 11, 1863.
Arthur St. Clair Smith, of Gilford.
Wounded severely twice June 3, 1864. Promoted to Captain July 20, 1864.
Edward L. Shepard, of Holderness.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — A. J. Huntoon, of Plymouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 9, 1863.
George S. Cram, of Meredith.
Killed May 3, 1863.
Edward L. Shepard, of ITolderness.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 20, 1864.
Co. F. — Captains— John F. Langley, of PittsfieM.
^Promoted to Major Feb. 5, 1864.
Hosea Q. Sargent, of New Hampton.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First L'.uts. — Sylvanus Smith, of Pittsfield.
Resigned Feb. 3, 1863.
Andrew M. Heath, of London.
Promoted to Adjutant June 1, 1863.
John W. Johnson, of Pittsfield.
i'romoted to Captain July 20, 1864.
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 467
Charles S. Emery, of Canterbury.
Died August 1, 1864.
Rufus E. Gale, of Gilmanton.
Promoted to Adjutant March 1, 1865.
Charles E. Marsh, of Gilmanton.
Transferred to Co. C.
Edward F. Gordon, of New Hampton.
Promoted to Captain June 6, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — H. A. L. French, of Pittsfield.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 22, 1863.
Horace Edgerly, of Barnstead.
'Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 15, 1863.
Charles S. Emery, of Canterbury.
Wounded severely June 3, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. July 20, 1864.
Co. G.— Captains— Charles W. Chase of Gilford.
Honorably discharged April 8, 1863.
Edwin S. Be'dee, of Meredith.
Wounded severely June 4, 1864. Missing at Bermuda Hundred, Va.
Gained from missing. Promoted to Major May 26, 1865.
First Lieuts. — J. M. Emerson, of Moultonboro.
Resigned Deo. 20, 1862.
Edwin S. Bedee, of Meredith.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Promoted to Captain Sept. 2, 1864.
John H. Prescott, of Pittsfield.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 2, 1864.
John P. Lane.
Honorably discharged April 28, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John S. Veasey, of Gilford.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 26, 1863.
Andrew M. Heath, of London.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 12, 1863.
Joseph K. Whittle r, of Laconia.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 3, 1864.
Asa W. Bartlett, of Pittsfield.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 15, 1864.
Charles G. Sheldon, of Warren.
Not mustered. Died of wounds at Washington, D. C., June 27, 1864, before
commission was issued. Buried at National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.
Co. H. Captains— J. L. P. Whipple, of Gilford.
Dismissed Aug. 24, 1863.
Jeremiah Sanborn.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts.— Joseph S. Tilton, of Gilford.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Honorably discharged Oct. 29, 1863.
468 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Abraham II. Milliken, o£ Gilford. »
Transferred from Co. B. Dishonorably discharged Ang. 23, 1864.
Daniel "W. BoTionon.
Promoted to Captain April 12, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — A. II. Milliken, of Gilford.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Promoted to First Lieut. May 4, 1863.
Joseph A. Fellows, of Gilmanton.
Honorably discharged Sept, 17, 1864.
Uo. I. — Captains — Joseph W. Lang, Jr., of Meredith.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Honorably discharged on account of wounds Aug.
19, 1864.
John H. Prescott, of Pittsfield.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts.— Wm. H. II. Fernald, of Gilford.
Promoted to Captain May 4, 1863.
Alonzo W. Jewett.
Wounded slightly Jui.e 3, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Wm. W. Stevens, of Meredith.
Discharged April 5, 1863.
William P. Ham.
Wounded severely June 3, 1864. Died of weunds June 15, 1864.
Co. K. Captains — Silas May, of Wolfeborough.
Wounded May 3, 1863. Honorably discharged June 19, 1864.
Arthur St. Clair Smith, of Gilford.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Win. F. Dame, of Tuftonborough.
Discharged June 10, 1863.
Jeremiah Sanborn.
Promoted to Captain July 15, 1864.
Asa W. Bartlett, of Pittsfield.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 28, 1864.
Charles F. Towle, of New Durham.
Missing at Bermuda Hundred, Va., Nov. 17, 1864. Honorably discharged
June 9, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Geo. L. Batchelder, of Concord.
Resigned Jan. 26, 1863.
Jeremiah Sanborn.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 26, 1863.
Ephraim W. Ricker, of Tuftonborough.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 20, 1864.
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 469
GENERAL JOSEPH H. POTTER.
Joseph Hayden Potter is the son of Thomas D. Potter,
of Concord, where he was born Oct. 12, 1821. He was,
for most of the years 1837 and '38, resident with an
uncle in Portsmouth, preparing for college, and, the
latter year, assistant in the male High School in that
city. Receiving the appointment of Cadet through the
recommendation of Hon. Samuel Cushman, of Ports
mouth, he entered "West Point, Academy in 1839, and
graduated in 1843 ; was Brevet Second Lieutenant First
Infantry, July 1, 1843; attached to the Seventh Infantry
in 1845 ; severely wrounded in the battle of Monterey,
Sept, 21, 1846 ; brevetted First Lieut. " for gallant and
meritorious conduct in the battle of Monterey, Mexico,"
Sept. 21, 1846; appointed First Lieutenant, Oct. 30,
1847; Adjutant of the Seventh Regiment United States
Infantry, for some four years prior to January, 1856 ; ap
pointed Captain, Jan. 7, 1856, and assigned to Company
G, Seventh 'United States Infantry ; ordered with regi
ment to Utah territory, February, 1858, thence with
regiment to New Mexico, May 15, 1860; surrendered
by Major Lynde to Texan insurgents, July 27th, 1861 ;
took command of the surrendered troops after their
parole, and marched them across the country to Fort
Leaven worth, Mo., and from thence to Jefferson Bar
racks, Mo., arriving there November, 1861 ; com
manding regiment at Fort Niagara from March,
1862, until Sept. 17, 1862 ; then exchanged, and ap
pointed Colonel of the 12th New Hampshire Volunteer
Regiment, assuming command of the same the 21st of
that month; severely wounded in the battle of Chan-
cellorsville and taken prisoner, May 3, 1863 ; exchanged
Oct. 20, 1863 ; ordered to Columbus, Ohio, as Assis
tant Provost Marshal, Feb. 15, 1864; joined regiment
470 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Sept. 16, 1864, in command of a brigade in the Eleventh
Corps, until Dec. 2, 1864, and then assigned to the com
mand of the Second Brigade, Eighth Division, Twenty-
fourth Corps ; appointed Chief of Staff of the Twenty-
fourth Corps, Jan. 16, 1865; assigned to command of
Second Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-fourth Corps,
July 10, 1865; appointed Brigadier General of Volun
teers, May 1, 1865; served with Twenty-fourth Corps
until it was hroken up, in August, 1865 ; and mustered
out of volunteer service, Jan. 16, 1866; commissioned
Major of the Nineteenth Regiment United States In
fantry, July 4, 1863; brevetted Lieutenant Colonel
United States Army, Dec. 13, 1862, " for gallant and
meritorious conduct at the battle of Fredericksburg,
Virginia;" brevetted Colonel United States Army,
May 3, 1863, for gallant and meritorious service at
the battle of Chancellorsville, Va.; brevetted Briga
dier General United States Army, March 13, 1865, for
gallant and meritorious services in the campaign ter
minating with the surrender of the insurgent army
under Gen. Robert E. Lee ; and commissioned Lieu
tenant Colonel in the Thirtieth United States Infantry,
July 28, 1866. General Potter's services and their
appreciation can best be estimated by his military
record.
The people of the Counties of Belknap and Carroll
felt an especial pride in this regiment, as it was almost
wholly composed of men rfnd officers from their limits.
It was made up of men of character and good standing,
who enlisted because the country needed them to sup
press the rebellion. No regiment left the State with
men of finer personal appearance, or of more gentle
manly bearing, and it sustained a high reputation for
honor and sobriety throughout its whole term of service.
The regiment left Concord /or Washington on the
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 471
27th of September, and joined Colonel Wright's di
vision of General Casey's command of the Reserve
Army Corps, Defenses of Washington. It was subse
quently assigned to General Whipple's division, Third
Army Corps, and with it marched from Berlin to Po
tomac Creek, near Falmouth, Va., a distance of more
than a hundred miles, arriving there on the 25th of JSTo-
vember. Unaccustomed to camp life, many of the men
became sick from exposure, short rations, jaundice
and measles. The latter, in most cases, proved fatal,
or caused permanent disability.
On the 12th of December, while crossing the Rappa-
hannock river to Fredericksburg, the column was
shelled by rebel batteries, and three commissioned
officers and five enlisted men of the regiment were
severely wounded. During the battle of Fredericksburg,
on the 13th and 14th, the regiment was held in reserve,
and in position for the support of batteries, and all the
time under fire of musketry and cannon. After this
memorable battle the Twelfth passed the remainder of
the winter at Falmouth, engaged in the usual camp and
picket duties.
CHANCELLORSVILLE.
On the 30th of April, 1863, the troops moved in the
direction of Chancellorsville. At daylight on the
morning of the 3d of May, Gen. Whipple's division was
formed in line at the foot of the hill, near the Chancel
lor House, and at right angles with the plank road. It
was ordered forward to meet a heavy force commanded
by General Longstreet, and if possible hold the enemy
until General Sickles could collect the scattered troops
of his corps. Colonel Bowman, commanding the brig
ade, ordered the Eighty-fourth and One Hundred and
Tenth Pennsylvania to be formed parallel with, and to
472 THE GREA T REBELLION.
the rear, to prevent a flank movement. These regi
ments were nearly all captured by an overwhelming
force of the enemy, leaving the Twelfth, with a few
troops on the right, to cope with a force at least three
times its own. One of the most desperate musketry
engagements ensued which has ever been witnessed.
The regiment behaved splendidly, and retreated in good
order, just in time to save its entire capture. General
"Whipple was mortally wounded, and while being carried
from the field on a stretcher, bleeding and dying, said :
" I hope I may live long enough to give Colonel Potter
and his brave men a just report." The regiment went
into the engagement in the morning with twenty-eight
officers and five hundred and forty-nine enlisted men.
It lost three commissioned officers killed ; fifteen
commissioned officers wounded ; forty-two enlisted
men 'killed; two hundred and twelve enlisted men
wounded; fifty-one enlisted men captured; three en
listed men missing, probably killed. Aggregate loss,
three hundred and twenty-six. Captains Savage and
Keyes and Lieut. Cram were shot dead ; Colonel Potter
was seriously wounded in the leg; Lieut. Colonel Marsh
was wounded in the leg, and Major Savage was struck
in the lower jaw by a musket ball and severely wounded.
After the battle of Chancellorsville, and the retreat
of the army, under command of General Hooker, the
Twelfth returned to the camp it had occupied the pre
vious winter, where it remained until the llth of June,
when it broke camp and went in pursuit of the rebel
army on its raid in Maryland and Pennsylvania. From
here to Gettysburg the march was the most severe of
any ever performed by the army of the Potomac, the
men suffering from fatigue, short rations and excessive
heat, many of whom fell out and died by the roadside.
When they met the enemy at Gettysburg it was a relief
to many to know that they had an opportunity to fight
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 473
rather than march, and all went forward determined
to conquer their foas or die in the attempt.
Early on the morning of the 2d of July the line was
formed under command of Captain J. F. Langley. The
engagement commenced in the afternoon. The Twelfth
was stationed near the center of the line where the
enemy made a heavy attack. All through this bloody
and decisive battle the regiment fought with great gal
lantry, fully sustaining the reputation they had won at
so heavy cost at Chancellorsville. It went into the fight
with twelve officers and two hundred and twelve enlisted
men, and lost one officer killed, five wounded; twenty
enlisted men killed, sixty-eight wounded. Aggregate
loss, ninety-four. Lieut. II. A. L. Fletcher, while gal
lantly rallying his men, on the 2d, was killed by a bullet
shot through the head. There were many instances of
individual bravery, to mention any of which would seem
to do injustice to others.
The rebel army having retreated, the pursuit again
commenced and a long march ensued. At Warrenton,
on the 26th of July, the Twelfth was ordered to report
to General Marston, at Point Lookout, Maryland.
From the llth of June the regiment had been marching
and fighting without rest of a single day. Many of the
men had become sick from over exertion, and more than
half of the remnant of the regiment were without shoes
or stockings, their feet raw from exposure to the sand
and sun, and their clothing was literally in rags. It
marched through "Washington and arrived at Point
Lookout on the 31st of July, where it remained guard
ing rebel prisoners, with the Second and Fifth New
Hampshire, until April, 1864. "While here the regiment
received three hundred and fifty recruits. Four hun
dred and fifty had been assigned to it, but one hundred
deserted on the way to the regiment.
The account of the organization of General Butler's
474 THE GREAT REBELLION.
army at Gloucester and Yorktown, and its movements
up the James ; its taking position at Bermuda Hundred;
its fighting at Drury's Bluff, and its expedition in assist
ance of the Army of the Potomac, at Cold Harbor, has
been so fully given in the history of the Second and
other regiments as not to require repetition here. At
Drury's Bluff the Twelfth was for four days and nights
in succession in the front line without being relieved.
On the 16th of May a general engagement took place,
in which the Twelfth lost two enlisted men killed, and
thirty-two wounded. After this battle the regiment
encamped at Bermuda Hundred, and was engaged in
building the defenses of that place. On the 26th of
May the regiment was engaged in a skirmish at Port
Walthal, in which two men were mortally wounded.
At Cold Harbor, on the 3d of June, the Twelfth, with
its brigade, made an advance across an open field upon
the enemy's works, in which it lost two officers killed
and six wounded ; thirty-eight enlisted men killed and
one hundred and nineteen wounded. Making an aggre
gate loss of one hundred and sixty-five, out of less than
three hundred taken into the engagement. Many of
the wounded were left upon the field between the two
lines of works, not more than seventy-five yards apart,
for three days, before they could be taken away. —
Twenty of the dead of this regiment were found within
five yards of the enemy's works. Captain Shackford,
who had previously received five wounds, was severely
wounded on this occasion.
On the 15th of June the regiment disembarked at
Bermuda Hundred, and the same night marched to the
front of Petersburg, and on the next day formed a part
of the line which carried the works. For seventy-two
days the regiment was only relieved from the trenches
to take part in the battle of Cemetery Hill, at the
explosion of the " Mine," on the 30th of July. During
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 475
this time three officers were wounded, two enlisted men
killed and twenty-nine wounded, while many were lost
by sickness caused by the burning heat of the sun by
day and the dampness of the trenches by night, in an
unhealthy locality.
On the 26th of August the Twelfth was relieved from
the front of Petersburg, and moved to the defenses of
Bermuda Hundred, where it joined Colonel Potter's
reserve brigade. Colonel Potter who was wounded and
taken prisoner at Chancellorsville, was exchanged on
the 13th of October, 1863, but being unfit for field duty
was on detached service until the 2d of September,
1864, when he joined his regiment and was assigned
to the command of a provisional brigade.
On the 17th of November the enemy attacked t}ie
Union picket line, and in the engagement which ensued
the regiment lost one officer wounded and two captured ;
one enlisted man killed, six wounded and thirty-five
captured, two of whom, Sergeant A. "W. Batchelder and
private Benjamin B. Thompson, escaped from Libby
prison on the night of the 7th of December, and' in
eight days made their way to the Union lines.
In the reorganization of the Tenth and Eighteenth
Army Corps, Colonel Potter was assigned to the com
mand of the Second Brigade, Third Division, Twenty-
fourth Army Corps. During the winter of 1864-65
the Twelfth Regiment formed a part of the line in front
of Richmond. Here they constructed winter quarters
which were pronounced by the inspector general to be
the best in the Army of the James.
During the night of the 2d of April, 1865, it was
evident from indications in front that some unusual
movements were going on within the enemy's lines.
General Devens, who was in command, gave an order to
advance the whole line at the first break of day on the
3d. The enemy's guns were still pointing threateningly
476 THE GREAT REBELLION.
toward the Union lines ; their tents remained the same
as they had been for weeks, and every thing bore the same
appearance, yet the Union troops pressed forward, ex
pecting every moment the rebels would open fire upon
them from their monster guns. They met with no oppo
sition, however, as they passed line after line of the rebel
works, and entered Richmond, the birth-place of treason,
about eight o'clock on the morning of the 3d of April,
1865. The Mayor and Council had formally surrendered
the city to a sq-uad of the Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry,
about thirty minutes before the Twelfth Regiment
arrived, in command of Captain H. Q. Sargent. Captain
Sargent and his command were the first to take posses
sion of Jeff. Davis7 mansion. The rebels had kindled
fiijes in several places and the city was saved from total
destruction only through the efforts of Union soldiers.
The regiment remained in the city for several days,
performing provost guard duty, when it moved with its
brigade across the James river to Manchester, where
it remained until May, when it was ordered to Danville,
but returned to Manchester, where, with the Tenth and
Thirteenth New Hampshire Regiments, it was mustered
out of the United States service, on the 21st of June,
and with them, under command of General Donohoe,
started the next day for home, and arrived at Concord
on the 27th. On the 3d of July the men were paid
and finally discharged.
For fourteen months before its muster out the regi
ment had been commanded by Colonel Thomas E.
Barker, a most gallant and faithful officer, of whom
it should be recorded that during the active campaign
of five months he was not absent from his regiment a
single day. Chaplain T. L. Ambrose was wounded in
front of Petersburg on the 24th of July, and died oi
his wounds on the 19th of August, 1864. He was one
of the most noble, brave and humane men in the army,
TWELFTH REGIMENT. 477
and by his many acts of kindness and Christianity had
won the unbounded respect and affection of every man
in the regiment. It was said of him that " A braver
man never lived ; a truer man never wore the garb of
Christianity." The Twelfth Regiment contributed its
share toward the proud record of New Hampshire in
the war.
478 TEE GREAT REBELLION.
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT.
This regiment was raised under the same call, and
about the same time as the four preceding ones, and
was like them largely composed of the true hearted,
intelligent and patriotic yeomanry and mechanics of the
good State of New Hampshire, who appreciated the
great struggle in which the country was engaged and the
sacrifices they were called upon to make to insure the
triumph of the cause of popular liberty. Eockingham,
Hillsborough and Strafford Counties each furnished two
companies, and Merrimack, Carroll, Grafton and Coos,
one each. They went into camp at Concord the fore
part of September, and the muster of the regiment into
the United States service was completed on the 23d of
of that month. The following were the field, staff and
company officers, with the official record of each, during
the term of service of the regiment:
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONEL — Aaron F. Stevens, of Nashua.
Wounded severely June 1, 1864. Wounded severely Sept. 29, 1864. Hon
orably discharged Feb. 4, 1865. Discharge suspended. Appointed Brigadier
General U. S. V., by brevet, to date from Dec. 8, 1864. Mustered out as Col
onel June 21, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — George Bowers, of Nashua.
Resigned May 30, 1863.
Jacob I. Storer, of Portsmouth.
Honorably discharged May 28, 1864.
William Grantman, of Wakefield.
Honorably discharged Oct. 16, 1864.
Normand Smith, of Stewartstown.
Mustered out June 21, 1865
Majors — Jacob I. Storer, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel June 1, 1863
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 479
"William Grantman, of Wakefield.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel July 1 5, 1864.
Normand Smith, of Stewartetown.
Wounded slightly Sept. 29, 1864. Promoted to Lieut. Colonel July 15, 1864.
Nathan D. Stoodley, of Peterborough.
MusteredTout June 21, 1865.
Adjutants — George H. Gillis, of Nashua,
Resigned March 23, 1863.
Nathan B. Boutwell, of Lyndeborough.
Wounded severely June 15, 1864. Honorably discharged for disability
May 5, 1865.
George H. Taggard, of Nashua.
Mustered out June 21, 18U6.
Quartermasters — Person C. Cheeney, of Peterborough.
Resigned Aug. 6,^1863.
Mortier L. Morrison, of Peterborough.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Surgeons — George B. Twitchell, of Keene.
Resigned March 24, 1863.
Samuel A. Richardson, of Marlborough.
Mustered out June 21, 1863.
Assistant Surgeons — S. A. Richardson, of Marlborough.
Promoted to Surgeon April 1, 1863.
John Sullivan, Jr., of Exeter.
Honorably discharged Aug. 16, 1864.
Ezekiel Morrill, of Concord.
Promoted to Surgeon 1st N. H. H. Art Nov. 17, 1864.
Horatio N. Small, of Lancaster.
Promoted to Surgeon 10th N. H. Vols. Aug. 20, 1863.
John C. Emery.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Chaplain — George C. Jones, of Nashua.
Honorably discharged May 9, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — William J. Ladd, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Dec. 30, 1862.
Charles C. Favor, of Boston, Mass.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Nov. 28, 1863.
James M. Hodgdon, of Rollinsford.
Wounded severely Sept. 30, 1864. Promoted to Second Lieut. June 15, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeants — M. L. Morrison of Peterboro'.
Promoted to Quartermaster, Aug. 12, 1863.
Charles A. Ames, of Peterborough.
Mastered out June 21, 1865.
480 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Commissary Sergeants — George II. Taggard, of Nashua.
Promoted to Second Lieut. March 16, 1864.
George W. Ferguson, of Monroe.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 15, 1864.
George Burns, of Concord.
Promoted to Second Lieut. June 15, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — John J. Whittemore.
Discharged for disability Nov. 22, 1862.
Koyal B. Prescott, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 28, 1864.
D. W. Butterfield, of Nashua,
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Charles C. Hall, of Stratford.
Died of disease Jan. 22, 1865.
Manson S. Brown of Campton.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — William Grantman, of Wakefield.
Promoted to Major June 1, 1863.
Buel C. Carter, of Ossipee.
Appointed A. Q. M. Vols., May 17, 1864.
George A. Bruce, of Mont Vernon.
Wounded slightly Sept. 29, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lierits. — Buel C. Carter, of Ossipee.
Wounded severely Dec. 13, 1862. Promoted to Captain June 1, 1863.
Charles B. Gafney, of Ossipee.
Wounded severely June 15, 1*864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Charles B. Gafney, of Ossipee.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 1, 1863.
Henry Churchill, of Brookneld.
Honorably discharged for disability Feb. 28, 1865.
Co. B.— Captains— Elisha E. Dodge, of Rollinsford.
Wounded severely June 15, 1864. 'Died of wounds June 22, 18G4.
Marshall Saunders, of Littleton.
Wounded slightly Sept. 29, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — George A. Bruce, of Mont Yernon.
Promoted to Captain May 30, 1864.
William J. Ladd, of Portsmouth.
Wounded severely Sept. 29, 1864. Appointed Captain U. S. V., by brevet,
for gallant and meritorious services, to date from March 13, 1865. Mustered
out as First Lieut. June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — N. B. Boutwell, of Lyndeboro'.
Promoted to Adjutant March 24, 1863.
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 481
Charles M. Kittridge, of Mont Yernon.
Resigned Nov. 3, 1863.
Charles C. Favor, of Boston, Mass.
Honorably discharged Sept. 5, 1864.
Co. C. — Captains — Charles 0. Bradley, of Concord.
Resigned June 10, 1864.
James M. Durell, of New Market.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Charles H. Curtis, of Farmirigton.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 28, 1864.
Royal B. Fresco tt, of Nashua.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Rufus P. Staniels, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 20, 1863.
"Wm. H. McConney, of Windham.
Mustered out June 21, 18G5.
Co. D. Captain — George Fair, of Littleton.
Wounded severely June 1, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Edward Kilburn, of Littleton.
Resigned Jan. 24, 1863.
Marshall Saunders, of Littleton.
Promoted to Captain July 15, 1864.
Rohert R. Thompson, of Stratford.
Killed in action at Fort Harrison, Va., Sept. 29, 1864.
Andrew J. Sherman, of Bethlehem.
Mustered out June 21. 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Marshall Saunders, of Littleton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 25, 1863.
Andrew J. Sherman, of Bethlehem.
Promoted to First Lieut Oct. 28, 1864.
Co. E. — Captain — George N. Julian, of Exeter.
Mustered out Jan. 31, 1865.
First Lieuts. — James M. Durell, of New Market.
Wounded Dec. 13, 1862. Wounded slightly June 3, 1864. Promoted to
Captain July 15, 1864.
Oliver M. Sawyer, of Nashua.
Honorably discharged March 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — H. H. Murray, of New Market.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 20, 1863.
S. Millett Thompson, of Durham.
Wounded severely June 15, 1864. Honorably discharged Oct. 4, 1864.
Co. F. — Captains — Lewis H. Buzzell, of Barrington.
Killed May 3, 1863,
482 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Gustavus A. Forbush, of Peterborough.
Killed in action at Fort Harrison, Va., Sept. 29, 1864.
Charles H. Curtis, of Farmington.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Wm. H. H. Young, of Barrington.
Honorably discharged Feb. 2, 1864.
Jonathan Dustin, of Barrington.
Honorably discharged Oct. 1, 1864.
George H. Taggard, of Nashua.
*" Promoted to Adjutant May 30, 1865.
Second Lieuts.— Hubbard W. Hall, of Stratford.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 1, 1863.
Jonathan Dustin, of Barrington.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 16, 1864.
George H. Taggard, of Nashua.
Wounded severely June 3, 1864. ^Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 28, 1864.
Co. G. — Captains — N.' I). Stoodley, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Major Oct. 28, 1864.
Lewis P. Wilson, of Greenfield.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — G. A. Forbush, of Peterborough.
Promoted to Captain May 5, 1863.
Lewis P. Wilson, of Greenfield.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 2, 1865.
Lucius C. Oliver, of New Ipswich.
Promoted to First Lieut. March 1, 1866.
Co. H. — Captains — Normand Smith, of Ste wartstowu.
Promoted to Major July 15, 1864.
Rufus P. Staniels, of Concord.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Albe Holmes, of Stratford.
Resigned Feb. 19, 1863.
Rufus P. Staniels, of Concord.
Wounded severely June 1, 1864. Promoted to Captain July 15, 1864.
George W. Ferguson, of Monroe.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Edward Parker, of Nashua.
Resigned May 28, 1863.
Robert R, Thompson, of Stratford.
Wounded severely May 16, 1864. Promoted to First Lieut. July 15, 1864.
Co. I. — Captains — Luther M. Wright, of Nashua.
Resigned Dec. 29, 1862.
Enos W. Goss, of Portsmouth.
Killed in action Oct. 27, 1864.
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 483
First Lieuts.— Alfred S. Smith, of Pelham.
Resigned Nov. 14, 1862
Major A. Shaw, of Nashua.
Wounded Dec. 13, 1862. Resigned April 29, 1863.
Hubbard W. Hall, of Stratford.
Wounded severely Sept. 29, 1864. Promoted to Captain March 1, 1865.
Lucius C. Oliver, of New Ipswich.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Major A. Shaw, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut Nov, 15, 1862.
Oliver M. Sawyer, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 15, 1864.
Henry B. Wheeler, of Peterborough.
Wounded slightly Sept. 29, 1864. Mustered out June 21, 1865.
Co. K. — Captains — Matthew T. Betton, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out June 21, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Enoch W. Goss, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 30. 1862.
Nathan J. Coffin, of Portsmouth.
Resigned June 9, 1863.
Henry II. Murray, of New Market.
Captured Oct. 27, 1864. Paroled Feb. 15, 1865. Mustered out June 21,1865.
Second Lieuts. — Nathan J. Coffin, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 30, 1862.
William J. Ladd, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 30, 1864.
GENERAL AARON FLETCHER STEVENS.
General Stevens was born at Berry, in Rockingham
County, New Hampshire, August 9, 1819. When he
was quite young his parents removed to Peterborough,
in Hillsborough County. After attending the public
schools of Derry and Peterborough he received a good
academic education, and taught school several terms.
In 1838 he removed to Nashua, and pursued a course of
study for three years with industry and zeal, calculated
to fit him for the active duties of life. In 1842 he com
menced the study of law in the office of Hon. George
Y. Sawyer, an eminent member of the Hillsborough
County bar, and since one of the Justices of the
484 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Supreme Judicial Court of New Hampshire. In 1845
he was admitted to the bar and at once entered into
copartnership with Mr. Sawyer, soon became known in
his own and adjoining counties as an able, industrious
and careful practitioner, and with his partner com
manded an extensive business. In 1856 Mr. Stevens was
appointed by the Governor and Council, Solicitor for
Ilil Isbo rough County, and performed the responsible
duties of th*e position with faithfulness, ability and suc
cess for five years, and until the rebellion broke out.
In the prosecution of the large number of criminal
cases arising in that county he met the ablest lawyers in
the State, sustained himself with credit on all occasions,
and took a high and honorable position among his legal
brethren. In 1858 Mr. Stevens became a partner of
Hon. Aaron W. Sawyer, of Nashua, which arrangement
continued until the former entered the army, to aid in
the suppression of a most wicked rebellion.
During the existence of the Whig party Mr. Stevens
was one of its most active members. In 1849 he was
elected to the popular branch of the Legislature from
Nashua, and again in 1854, and was one of the most
industrious and useful members of that body. He was
also elected to the Legislature in 1856 and 1857, taking
a leading position on committees, and upon the floor, as
an able, earnest and pleasing debater, espousing and
maintaining the principles of the Republican party.
He was a member of the "Whig National Convention at
Baltimore, in 1852, which nominated General Winfield
Scott as the candidate for President.
When the war of the rebellion broke out, in April,
1861, Mr. Stevens was among the first men in the State
to tender his services to the Governor. When the First
Regiment was being organized he was tendered and
accepted the position of Major of it, and served with
that organization until the expiration of its term of
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 485
enlistment, with credit to himself and the State. "When
the Thirteenth Regiment was organized, in the autumn
of 1862, Major Stevens was commissioned its Colonel,
went with it to the field, and followed its fortunes until
the end of the war. He distinguished himself for
gallantry, courage, coolness and skill as an officer on
many bloody fields, and was often commended by his
superior officers. In the assault on Fort Harrison,
September 29, 1864, Colonel Stevens was in command
of a brigade, comprising his own and three -New York
regiments. He fell severely wounded while at the
head of his brigade and within a few yards of the
fort, where he remained until the colors of his command
were planted upon the parapet of the captured work,
and was then carried from the field. For his gallant
and meritorious conduct in this and other engagements,
Colonel Stevens was appointed Brigadier General United
States Volunteers, by brevet, to date from December 8,
1864. General Burnham, commanding the brigade in
the attack on Petersburg, June 15, 1864, in his report
of the affair to General Brooks, commanding the di
vision, said " I desire particularly to bring to your favora
ble notice Colonel Aaron F. Stevens, of the Thirteenth
New Hampshire Volunteers, both for his personal gallan
try in charging the enemy's works on the 15th, and for
the able manner in which he handled his regiment on
that occasion. To him and to his regiment the success
which was achieved is due in a very great measure, and I
take pleasure in recommending him for promotion."
This recommendation was fully and heartily endorsed by
General Brooks in his report to General Smith, com
manding the Eighteenth Army Corps. General Stevens'
military record is identical with that of the Thirteenth
Regiment, and both are in a high degree honorable to
the State.
General Stevens was nominated as a candidate foi
486 THE GREAT REBELLION.
member of Congress from the Second New Hampshire
District, in December, 1866, and was elected the follow
ing March ; and was elected for a second term in March,
1869. He has served on the standing committees on
Revolutionary Claims, arid llTaval Affairs, and as a mem
ber of the special committee on the Treatment, of Union
Prisoners. As at the bar of his own country, in the
Legislature of his own State, and in the army for the
suppression of the rebellion, so in Congress has General
Stevens maintained a high and honorable position, for
his industry on committees, his ability in debate, and
his wisdom as a statesman.
On the 5th of October, 1862, the Thirteenth Regiment
received its colors, at the State House, from the hand of
Hon. Allen Tenny, Secretary of State, and on the
following day left for Washington, fully armed and
equipped. It went into camp near Fort Albany, on the
south side of the Potomac, where it remained several
weeks, engaged mostly in drill. The regiment arrived
at Falmouth, opposite Fredericksburg, Va., on the 9th
of December, and was assigned to the First Brigade,
commanded by Colonel Hawkins, Third Division, Gen
eral Getty, of the Mnth Army Corps, then commanded
by General 0. B. Wilcox.
The Thirteenth crossed the Rappahannock river, with
its brigade, on the llth, and held the lower part of the
city. During the greater .part of the battle on the 13th,
the regiment was protected from the guns of the enemy
by a bluff under which it was stationed. About five
o'clock in the afternoon General Getty was ordered to
attempt with his division what two corps had failed to
accomplish, and had been repulsed with terrible slaugh
ter. He was to carry the batteries on Marye's Height —
the most formidable position in the enemy's line. The
division consisted of but two brigades — Hawkins' and
THIR TEENTH REGIMENT. 487
Harland's. The former posted his brigade in two lines.
The Thirteenth was on the right of the second line.
The order to advance was obeyed promptly. The
troops moved across the railroad under a considerable
fire from both musketry and artillery, and charged up
the steep bank, hoping to carry the works which crown
ed its crest. It was so dark that the line was consider
ably confused, and, receiving a terrific volley when
within a few rods from the enemy, and the point aimed
at, the regiments were broken up and retreated in dis
order. The lines of the Tenth and Thirteenth New
Hampshire were immediately reformed* by their com
manders, expecting to renew the attack, but the whole
command was soon ordered to retire to the city. The
troops recrossed the river on the night of the 15th, and
the regiment returned to its old encampment. During
the evacuation of the city, and while the remainder of
the division retired across the river, the Thirteenth held
the Union picket line along the railroad and on both
sides of Hazel run. Lively firing was kept up during
the night with the enemy's pickets. It was a position
of responsibility and peril, and was held by the regi
ment until three o'clock on the morning of the 16th,
when it was relieved and again joined' its brigade. In
this battle the Thirteenth lost three ofiicers and thirty-
nine men killed, wounded and prisoners. Captain Car
ter and Lieuts. Durell and Shaw were slightly wounded.
This was the first time the regiment had met the enemy
or been under fire, but it proved the coolness and gal
lantry of the officers and the bravery of the men.
The Thirteenth shared with the army the cold and
snow, the mud and exposure of Falmouth, and suffered
severely from sickness of ofiicers and men. It moved
with the Ninth Corps to Newport News, in February,
1863, and on the 13th of March, with the division, to
Suffolk, where it was actively engaged in the defense of
488 THE GREAT REBELLION.
that place against the siege which soon followed, and
was under fire most of the time for four weeks.
On the 3d of May a reconnoissance was ordered, and
the Thirteenth and three other regiments, with some
artillery and cavalry, crossed the Nansemond on the
Providence Church road, and in their advance drove in
the skirmishers of the enemy, who retired to their rifle-
pits in the edge of the woods, where they occupied a
line more than half a mile long. Upon this the Thir
teenth, with a part of the Eighty-ninth New- York,
charged, under command of Colonel Stevens, and car
ried the works at the point of the bayonet, the killed
and wounded of the enemy falling into the hands of the
Union troops. The enemy were driven through the
woods, and a strong line of intrenchments, heavily gar
risoned, unmasked. The artillery opened a sharp fire
upon the works, which was briskly replied to, the fight
lasting until dark. The same night the enemy withdrew
from his position, raised the siege of Suffolk, and
retreated toward Blackwater, closely followed by the
Union troops, who captured a large number of prison
ers. The regiment was particularly complimented for
its conduct in this affair. Its loss in killed and wounded
was about thirty. Captain Buzzell was killed, and
Lieut. Murray severely, and Captain Stoodley slightly,
wounded.
During the ensuing summer and fall the reginent was
engaged upon the fortifications in the vicinity of Ports
mouth, doing an immense amount of labor. It partici
pated in General Dix's expedition to Hanover Junction,
in June, suffering much from the exposure and hardship
of the march, which was followed after its return to
camp, by extraordinary sickness and mortality. Com
panies B and D were soon after placed in Fort Tailing-
hast, in the line of defenses, where they remained until
the following winter, instructed and exercised in heavy
THIR TEENTH REGIMENT. 489
artillery. The regiment passed the winter in comforta
ble quarters, erected by the men, doing but little severe
duty. During the fall and winter the regiment received
an accession of two hundred and forty recruits, many of
whom were substitutes.
For the campaign of 1864 the regiment was organized
with the Second Brigade and First Division of the
Eighteenth Army Corps. The brigade was composed
of the Tenth and Thirteenth New Hampshire, Eighth
Connecticut, and Hundred and Eighteenth New York,
under command of Brigadier General Hiram Burnharn,
formerly colonel of the Sixth Maine. The Eighteenth
Corps was under command of Major General "W. F.
Smith. From Yorktown the corps moved up the James
river, landed at Bermuda Hundred, and on the 7th of
May the Thirteenth was engaged with the enemy
on the "Walthal railroad; and on the 9th and 10th
fought them at Swift creek, near Petersburg, driving
them across the creek, and losing in these operations
several men killed and wounded. On the 12th it again
met the enemy on the Richmond and Petersburg turn
pike, drove them toward Richmond, capturing several
prisoners; on the 13th and 14th drove them across
Kingsland creek from their rifle-pits and intrenchments,
and capturing their outer line %>f works at Drury's
Bluff. The regiment was constantly under fire, a por
tion of it being night and day on the skirmish line, with
the remainder in support. The position in the captured
works assigned to the Thirteenth, being on the extreme
left of the brigade, with the Tenth New Hampshire
joining it on the right, was held until the morning of
the 16th, when Beauregard, with thirty thousand troops,
in the dense fog, attacked General Butler's line, and
surprised and routed General Heckman's command on
the right, forcing it back. The attack commenced
about four o'clock, but the tenth and Thirteenth were
490 THE GREAT REBELLION.
under arms and prepared to receive the enemy. The
day previous General Burnham hacfe caused wires to
be stretched along the front of his command, fastened
to stumps, and about a foot from the ground. The
rebels made a fierce attack on the skirmishers in front
of the two New Hampshire Regiments, and forced them
to retire ; but they were soon rallied, and their line
reformed and held, until the enemy, being re-enforced,
massed his troops directly in front of the Thirteenth,
and advanced to the assault of its position, in three
lines, forcing the skirmishers to retire to the main body.
The enemy emerged from the woods and moved forward
evenly under a hot and deliberate fire. When the
enemy reached the wire his lines were entirely broken,
when some fled and others threw down their arms.
Each successive line was broken as soon as it reached
the wire, and met the same fate as the" first. The attack
was handsomely repulsed by the Thirteenth, aided by
the oblique fire of the Tenth. The enemy made two
like attemps to carry the position, but were each time
repulsed with heavy loss. The Thirteenth took fifty-
nine prisoners, principally from the Forty-fourth Ten
nessee and North Carolina regiments, including the
Adjutant General of Bushrod Johnson. About nine
o'clock peremptory orders were received from the di
vision commander to retire, the right and left of the line
having fallen back, and they were reluctantly obeyed.
The loss of the regiment in these operations toward
Petersburg and Richmond, was thirty-one killed,
wounded and prisoners. Lieut. R. R. Thompson was
wounded severely while on the picket line.
The regiment with its corps arrived at Cold Harbor
on the 1st of June, and on the afternoon of that day
engaged the enemy, advancing under a terrific fire of
artillery and musketry, gaining and holding an advanced
position commanding the enemy's works. Tlr Thir-
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 491
teentli was in front of its brigade, and lost heavily —
sixty officers and men having fallen in less than five
minutes. Colonel Stevens and Captain Goss were
slightly, and Captain Fair and Lieut, Staniels, severely
wounded. On the 3d, the day of the main battle at
Cold Harbor, the regiment was in front of and near the
enemy's lines and under fire, suffering severely, but was
not ordered to attack. Lieut. George H. Taggard was
severely wounded, and Lieut. J. M. Durell received a
slight wound in the neck. In subsequent operations at
Cold Harbor the regiment was constantly on duty at the
front, losing several men, among whom was Captain
Julian, slightly wounded. The total casualties of the
regiment at Cold Harbor were: officers wounded, six;
men killed, fourteen; wounded and prisoners, sixty -four;
total eighty-four.
ATTACK ON PETERSBURG.
On the 15th of June, in an attack upon Petersburg,
the Thirteenth, under Colonel Stevens, covered the
front of its whole division, and behaved so bravely as
to call forth, in the reports of the generals commanding
the brigade and division especial commendation. Gen
eral Burnham, in his report, said : " I threw my skir
mishers forward, and assaulting their line, advancing on
the double-quick, under a severe musketry and artillery
fire. My line dashed across the open field to the ene
my's ' French rifle-pits,' which they captured with the
entire force that occupied them. Nearly a hundred
prisoners were captured here and were hastily sent to
the rear, a portion of them guarded by men from the
Thirteenth New Hampshire, while others were probably
driven to the rear without any guard whatever. Colonel
Stevens then moved the line forward, and still encoun
tering a severe fire, they dashed across the open plain,
492 THE GREAT REBELLION.
through the ravine and up to the enemy's formidable
works, assaulting and capturing battery No. 5 in a gal
lant manner. Captains E. W. Goss, George IN". Julian
and N". D Stoodley, of the Thirteenth New Hampshire,
were among the first to enter the battery, and to them
the officers commanding it surrendered. Lieut. Colonel
Council, of the Twenty-sixth Virginia regiment, Major
Beatty, and another Major, name unknown, surrendered
their swords to Captain Julian, while Captain Sturte-
vant, commanding the field battery which was captured,
surrendered his sword to Captain Stoodley. The Thir
teenth captured in this work one color, five pieces of
artillery and about one hundred prisoners. The number
of prisoners captured in the whole affair could not have
been less than two hundred." Immediately after the
fort was entered by the Thirteenth, the captured guns,
were, by order of Colonel Stevens, turned and fired on
the retreating enemy. The loss of the regiment was
heavy. Captain E. E. Dodge, a gallant officer, fell
mortally wounded before the works were reached, and
died in hospital seven days after. Adjutant Boutwell
and Lieut. Gafney were dangerously wounded in front
of, and near the works, while gallantly pressing forward
in the assault. The whole number of killed and
wounded, in the operations of the day, was forty-nine,
the regiment going into action with fifteen officers and
one hundred and eighty-nine muskets. Two rebel flags,
one taken by Sergeant James B,. Morrison, of Company
K, the other by Corporal Peter Mitchell, of the same
company, were sent by Colonel Stevens to the Governor
of New Hampshire.
The Thirteenth remained in front of Petersburg until
the 27th of August. At the explosion of the " Mine,"
on the 30th of July, the brigade held the outer position
of the Union works in front of the " crater" for two
days after the other troops had retired. On the 25th of
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 493
Jub he regiment was transferred to the First Brigade
of tne division, and Colonel Stevens was assigned to its
command, which he retained until the assault on Fort
Harrison, on the 29th of September. This was a
formidable work in the enemy's line, at Chapin's
Farm, half a mile from the north bank of the James
river, and about six miles from Richmond. To the First
Division, commanded by Brigadier General Stannard,
of Vermont, was assigned the duty of assaulting and
capturing this work. The division came upon the
enemy's pickets at daylight on the morning of the 29th,
and skirmishing at once commenced. The details of
this engagement have been given in the history of the
Tenth Regiment.
On the next day, the 30th, the enemy attempted to re
take the fort, making four assaults upon the lines estab
lished by the Union troops, but was each time repulsed
with terrible slaughter. In these assaults the Thirteenth
received the enemy in open ground. Of their part in
these operations, the official report of Lieut. Colonel
Smith, gives the following account: "On the morn
ing of the 30th the regiment was again moved into the
fort and placed at work on the left, where we were when
it was found the enemy were massing on the right, when
we were moved to the extreme right of the fort, our
rigbt resting on the intrenchments. About twenty
minutes afterward the enemy made the attack. The
regiment was almost entirely unprotected during the
engagement, but never flinched, and kept up a de
structive fire upon the advancing enemy, who were re
pulsed in every attempt to recapture the fort. After the
repulse of the enemy, Captain Goss, Company I, com
manding sharpshooters, captured the colors of three regi
ments of Clingman's brigade, with several prisoners."
The conduct of the officers and men of the Thirteenth
on these two days was superb. But again its loss was
494 THE GREAT REBELLION.
severe. More than one-half the command which left
camp on the night of the 28th, had melted away under
the fire of the enemy. Two officers and thirteen men
were killed, and seven officers and fifty-nine men wound
ed. Captain Forbush and Lieut. R, E. Thompson, both
brave officers, were killed in the assault and capture of
the fort. Colonel Stevens fell severely wounded in the
assault, while at the head of his regiment and brigade,
and within a few yards of the fort. Lieut. Colonel
Smith, Captains Saunders and Bruce, and Lieuts. Ladd,
Hall and Wheeler, were wounded.
The Thirteenth was assigned as a part of the garrison
to Fort Harrison, now called Fort Burnham, in honor
of General Burnham, who lost his life in its capture.
It participated with its division in the movement to
the Williamsburg road, on the 27th of October, but was
held in reserve, and its list of casualties was small. It
returned to Fort Harrison the next day. In the re
organization of the Army of the James, in December,
the Thirteenth was assigned to the First Brigade of
the Third Division of the Twenty-fourth Corps, with
which it served until its muster out of the service.
During the winter furlough prizes were offered to the
best soldier in each division. Sergeant Shattuck, of
Company B, Thirteenth New Hampshire, received the
first furlough granted, in a division of over six thousand
men, and during the winter the regiment carried off a
very large portion of the furlough prizes.
The Thirteenth Regiment participated in the final
movement upon Richmond, on the 3d of April, 1865.
General Devens, commanding the division, in a '°»m-
plimentary letter to Governor Smyth, of this State,
dated at Richmond, June 22, 1865, speaking of the
Tenth, Twelfth and Thirteenth regiments, says : " On
the formation of the Twenty-fourth Corps, all these
regiments formed a part of the Third Division, to which
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT. 495
they have until now belonged, and were of the first
column that entered Richmond on the morning of April
3d, 1865, the Thirteenth New Hampshire being the first
regiment of the army whose colors were brought into
the city." The Thirteenth was mustered out of the
United States service on the 22d of June, and came home
with the Tenth and Twelfth, under command of Brevet
Brigadier General Donohoe. Arrived at Nashua, the
officers of the brigade assembled at the Indian Head
House and Captain George A. Bruce, of the Thirteenth,
upon the staff of General Donohoe, in their behalf,
presented General Aaron F. Stevens, their old and
esteemed commander, a saber, sash and belt, suitable to
his rank. The General accepted the gift in a handsome
and feeling speech, after which he reviewed the brigade,
and it appeared so well as to receive the warmest en
comiums of thousands of spectators who witnessed it.
Authority was received from the general command
ing the army for the Thirteenth Regiment to inscribe
upon its colors the names and dates of the following
engagements :
Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862.
Siege of Suffolk, April and May, 1863.
Walthal Road, May 7, 1864.
Swift Creek, May 9 and 10, 1864.
Kingsland Creek, May 12 and 13, 1864.
Drury's Bluff, May 14 and 16, 1864.
Cold Harbor, June 1 and 3, 1864.
Battery 5, Petersburg, June 15, 1864.
Battery Harrison, September 29 and 30, 1864.
The regiment was paid off and finally discharged at
Concord on the 1st of July, 1865. Its record while in
the service is a better commendation than words.
496 THE GREAT REBELLION.
FOURTEENTH REGIMENT.
The Fourteenth was the last of the three years' regi
ments raised in New Hampshire. Like those which
had preceded it, this regiment was composed of the
intelligent and patriotic young men of the State, who
enlisted from a sense of duty to the country. It was
filled mostly with residents of the four western counties.
Cheshire County furnished four companies, while Sulli
van, Grafton, Coos, Carroll, Merrimack and Hills-
borough Counties furnished one Company each. The
regiment was organized at Concord, and its muster into
the United States service was completed on the 24th of
September, 1862. The following were its field, staff
and company officers, with the official record of each :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — Robert "Wilson, of Keene.
Honorably discharged Sept 6, 1864.
Alexander Gardiner, of Claremont.
Wounded severely Sept. 19, 1864. Died of wounds Oct. 8, 1864.
Carroll D. Wright, of Swanzey.
Honorably discharged March 18, 1865.
Lieut. Colonels — Tileston A. Barker, of Westmoreland.
Honorably discharged Feb. 5, 1865.
Oliver H. Marston, of Sandwich.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Majors — Samuel A. Duncan, of Plainfield.
Resigned Sept. 10, 1863, to accept Colonelcy in a colored regiment.
Alexander Gardiner, of Claremont, -
Promoted to Colonel Sept. 12, 1864.
Flavel L. Tolman, of Rindge.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Adjutants — Alexander Gardiner, of Claremont.
Promoted to Major, Sept. 12, 1863.
FOURTEENTH REGIMENT. 4U7
Carroll D. Wright, of Swanzey.
Promoted to Colonel Dec. 6, 1864.
L. Warren Wright, of Richmond.
Mustered out July 8, 1865
Quartermasters — William A. Heard, of Sandwich.
Resigned Oct. 15, 1863.
Charles F. Webster, of Jaffrey.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Surgeon — William Henry Thayer, of Keene.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Ass't Surgeons — Marshall Perkins, of Marlow.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Franklin C. Weeks, of Chester.
Died of disease at New England Kooms, New York City, March 28, 1864.
Chaplain— Elihu T. Rowe, of Plainfield.
Resigned July 20, 1863
Sergeant Majors — William H. Bryant, of Plainfield.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Sept. 20, 1863
J. Henry Jenks, of Keene.
Killed at Cedar Creek, Va., Oct. 19, 1864.
John L. King, of Hinsdale.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 4, 1865.
John Leathers, of JaiFrey.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeants — Albert F. Hussey, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 22, 1864.
B. Frank Fellows, of Sandwich.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Commissary Sergeants — Milton S. Howe.
Died of disease, at Offutt's Cross Roads, Md., Nov. 24, 1862.
James W. Russell, of Keene.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 4, 1865.
Moses Wadleigh, of Weare.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Hospital Stewards — George D. Richardson, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 4, 1865.
Charles Hastings.
Mustered out July 8, 1865
Principal Musicians — Henry M. Staples, of Keene.
Mustered out July 8, 1865
George A. Day, of Keene.
Mustered out July 8, 1865
498 THE GREAT REBELLION.
COMPANY OFFICERS. *
Co. A. — Captains — Frank T. Barker, of Westmoreland.
Honorably discharged April 27, 1864.
Nathaniel L. Chandler, of Xewburv.
Died of disease at Bradford, N. H., Sept. 11, 1864.
George F. Blanchard, of Ilopkinton.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Charles P. Hall, of Westmoreland.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 19, 1864.
Henry S. Paull, of Claremont.
Killed near Winchester, Va., Sept 19, 1864.
L. Warren Wright, of Richmond.
Promoted to Adjutant Jan 4, 1865.
Charles G. Howard, of Winchester.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Xorman Howe, of Hinsdale.
Honorably discharged Nov. 3, 1863.
Henry S. Paull, of Claremont.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 19, 1864.
L. Warren Wright, of Richmond.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 22, 1864.
Co. B. — Captains — John J. Johnson, of Walpole.
Honorably discharged Nov. 3, 1863.
William A. Fosgate, of Winchester.
KiUed near Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.
David A. McCurdy, of Webster.
Wounded Sept. 19, 1864. Mustered out July 8, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Artemas Adams, of Walpole.
Resigned April 1, 1863.
Charles E. Holbrook, of Charlestown.
Honorably discharged April 23, 1864.
David A. McCurdy, of Webster.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 22, 1864.
George D. Richardson, of Keene.
Mustered out July 8, 1865
Second Lieuts. — C. E. Holbrook, of Charlestown.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 4, 1863.
Henry E. Barrett, of Charlestown.
Discharged March 22, 1864.
Artemas B. Colburn, of Richmond.
Killed at Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.
FO UR TEENTH REGIMENT. 499
Co. C. — Captains — Amos D. Combs, of Swanzey.
Dismissed Nov. 14, 1863.
Charles P. Hall, of Westmoreland.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Ira Berry, jr., of Keene.
Promoted to Captain Oct 1, 1863.
John K Bruce, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 4, 1865.
John L. King, of Hinsdale.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Carroll D. "Wright, of Swanzey.
Promoted to Adjutant Sept. 20, 1863.
George F. Blanchard, of Hopkinton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 19, 1864.
Franklin Wheeler, of Milan.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 22, 1864,
Co. D. — Captain— Caleb W. Hodgdon, of Weare.
Mustered out July S, 1865. *
First Lieuts. — Stark Fellows, of East "Weare.
Resigned Sept. 4, 1863.
Walter H. Sargent, of Webster.
Wounded Sept. 19, 1864.^ Honorably discharged Jan, 18, 1865.
Charles 0. Cragin, of Dublin.
Mustered out Julj 8, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John X. Brown, of Seabrook.
Resigned March 9, 1863.
William H. Bryant, of Plainlield.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 19, 1864.
Russell F. Smith, of Hinsdale.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Co. E. — Captains — Freedom M. Rhodes, of Lancaster.
Resigned July 23, 1863.
Flavel L. Tolman, of Rindge.
Promoted to Major Dec. 6, 1864.
John ^. Bruce, of Manchester.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
First Lieuts. — William Cobleigh, of Hanover.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 22, 1864.
Franklin Wheeler, of Milan.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — John E. Willis, of Gorham.
Resigned Sept. 16, 1863.
Jesse A. Fiske, of Dublin.
Promoted to First Lieut May 27, 1864.
500 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Asa W. Richardson, of Cornish.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 4, 1866.
James W. Russell, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 17, 1865.
Co. F. — Captains — Theodore A. Ripley, of Winchester
Mustered out May 15, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Stephen Phelps, of Winchester.
Resigned Jan. 20, 1864
George F. Blan chard, of Hopkinton.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 22, 1864.
Elbridge D. Iladley, of Deering.
Transferred "from Co. H, Nov. 22, 1864. Transferred to Co. I.
Asa W. Richardson, of Cornish.
Honorably discharged July 27, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Wm. A. Fosgate, of Winchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 2, 1863.
Elbridge D. Iladley, of Deering.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 6, 1864.
Marcus M. Holmes, of Dunbarton.
Transferred from Co. II, July 6, 1864. Not mustered. Promoted to First
Lieut. Nov. 22, 1864.
Co. G. — Captains — Solon A. Carter, of Keene.
Promoted to Assistant Adjutant General of Vols. July 3, 1864, with rank
of captain.
John W. Sturtevant, of Keene.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
First Lieuts.— C. Fred Webster, of Keene.
Promoted to Quartermaster Oct. 16. 1863.
Flavel L. Tolman, of Rindge.
Promoted to" Captain Jan. 1, 1864.
John W. Sturtevant, of Keene.
Wounded Sept. 19, 1864. Promoted to Captain Jan. 4, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Spencer L. Bailey, of Jaffrey.
Resigned Feb. 18, 1863.
Flavel L. Tolman, of Rindge.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 17, 1863.
John W. Sturtevant, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan 1, 1864.
Edward B. Howard, of Alstead.
Dishonorably discharged May 1, 1865.
James H. Hunt, of Stoddard.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Co. H. — Captains — William E. Bunton, of Dunbarton.
Discharged Sept. 25, 1863.
FO UR TEEN Til REGIMENT. 501
Ira Berry, jr., of Keene.
Wounded Sept. 19, 1864. Mustered out July 8, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Albert H. Sawyer, of Weare.
Discharged Sept. 25, 1863.
William A. Fosgate, of Winchester.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 19, 1864.
William H. Bryant, of Plainfield.
Honorably discharged May 20, 1864.
Marcus M. Holmes, of Dumbarton.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Walter II. Sargent, of Webster.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 1, 1863.
David A. McCurdy, of Webster.
Promoted to First Lieut. May 27, 1864.
Co. I. — Captains — Sylvester M. Bugbee, of Cornish.
Resigned Dec. 17, 1862.
William H. Chaffin, of Claremont.
Killed near Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.
William Cobleigh, of Hanover.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Nathan'l L. Chandler, of Newbury.
Promoted to Captain May 27, 1864.
George H. Stone, of Maryborough.
Wounded Sept. 19, 1864. Died of wounds'Sept. 25, 1864.
Second Lieuts. — D. J. Pillsbury, of Grantham.
Died of typhoid fever at Washington, D. C., Aug. 11, 1863.
George H. Stone, of Marlborough.
Promoted to First Lieut.^May 27, 1864.
Henry P. Page, of Center Harbor.
Mustered out May 15, 1865.
Co. K. — Captain — Oliver H. Marston, of Sandwich.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel March 24, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Jason D. Snell, of Pembroke.
Died of quick consumption, at Carrollton, La., April 26, 18C4.
Jesse A. Fiske, of Dublin.
Killed near Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.
Albert F. Hussey, of Dover.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — M. S. Webster, of Sandwich.
Died at Sandwich, N. H., of wounds received at Winchester, Va., Sept. 19,
1864.
Octavius C. Mason, of Sandwich.
Mustered out July 8, 1865.
502 THE GREAT REBELLION.
COLONEL ROBERT WILSOft.
Colonel Robert Wilson was born at Peterborough,
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, September 24th,
1811. His father, Hon. James Wilson, a lawyer of con
siderable distinction, removed to Keene in November,
1814. Colonel Wilson graduated at Amherst College,
Massachusetts, in 1832. He was commissioned Captain
of the Keene Light Infantry in" September, 1833, soon
after the visit of that company to Concord to receive
General Andrew Jackson. In 1836 and 1837 he com
manded the Twentieth Regiment, New Hampshire
Militia, and was then Division Inspector, under his
brother, James Wilson, who was Major General of the
Third Division. In 1847 he again took command of the
Keene Light Infantry for a season, to assist in resusci
tating it. Early in the summer of 1861 Colonel Wilson
was offered the command of one of the regiments being
raised in New Hampshire for the war, but was unable,
for private reasons, to accept it. In August, 1862, he
notiiied the Governor that if he would give him a full
regiment he would go into the service. The reply was
a Colonel's commission for the Fourteenth Regiment,
which was to be the last of the three years' regiments sent
from the State, and which was expected to be a very large
one. At one time the returns from the different enlist
ing officers showed a list of nineteen hundred men await
ing orders. When they reported at Concord there was
such an avalanche of men, with no arms and no equip
ments ready to furnish them, that many enlisting officers
were permitted to tear up their papers and let the men go
without being called upon. Indeed so late as October,
1862, there were thousands of men throughout the coun
try, enlisted and organized into regiments and doing
duty with clubs, awaiting clothing and arms, but the
FOURTEENTH REGIMENT. 503
government had none to furnish. Rather than go to
"Washington without arms, Colonel Wilson picked out of
a lot of old state arms enough flint lock guns, altered
into percussions, to arm one thousand men. These were
very inferior guns, more dangerous to the men bearing
them than to the enemy. It \vas not until June, 1863,
that they were replaced by Springfield rifled muskets.
Colonel Wilson continued in command of the Four
teenth Regiment, being very careful of the health and
comfort of his men, and enjoying their respect and con
fidence, until the early part of September, 1864, when,
on account of ill health, induced by the climate and the
exposure of camp life, he resigned, and was honorably
discharged. Colonel Wilson was elected a member
from Keene of the popular branch of the New Hamp
shire Legislature in 1868 and 1869, and was both years
chairman of the standing committee on Military Affairs.
COLONEL ALEXANDER GARDINER.
Colonel Gardiner was born in the State of New York
in 1833 ; graduated at Kimball Union Academy, Meri-
den, New Hampshire; studied law and was admitted
to the bar in New York City, when twenty-two years
old, and soon after went to Kansas, with the intention
of establishing himself in his professional business, and
to assist in publishing a newspaper. His printing office
was destroyed by the border ruffians, and the newspaper
was abandoned. For a time he engaged in the border
war, but on account of failing health returned home,
and in the spring of 1859 opened an office and com
menced the practice of law at Claremont, New Hamp
shire, which he continued until the summer of 1862,
when he was commissioned Adjutant of the Fourteenth
Regiment. Colonel Robert Wilson, who commanded
the regiment from its organization until the 6th of
504 THE GREAT REBELLION.
September, 1864, when he resigned, wrote of Colonel
Gardiner: "In September Adjutant Gardiner was pro
moted to Major, on my recommendation as the man
best fitted for the position, by education, talent and
gentlemanly bearing. After we reached New Orleans,
in April, 1864, Major Gardiner was in command of the
regiment much of the time. On the 13th of July we
sailed from New Orleans, leaving Major Gardiner with
four companies behind. I only met him again in the
valley of the Shenandoah, at Berryville, on the 19th of
August. On the night of the 21st, the army was with
drawn from its position in front of the enemy near
Charlestown, Ya. The withdrawal of the pickets fell
upon Major Gardiner as officer of the day. It was a
delicate duty to perform, in the immediate face of the
enemy, but was accomplished by him successfully. The
lines had not been evacuated more than ten minutes
before the enemy charged over our empty breastworks
in full force, showing that they were on the alert for our
movements. Major Gardiner was quite a nice man in
his dress and personal appearance. He prided himself
on wearing the nicest fitting boots in the regiment, and
we had many a laugh at the rivalry between Dr. Thayer,
Major Gardiner and Adjutant Wright, who all had a
weakness toward nice boots. After Gardiner was
wounded and left on the ground at the battle of
Opequan Creek, his handsome boots attracted the eye
of a Johnnie Eeb., who despoiled him of them, causing
great pain and suffering. But Johnny had only a short
lease of the boots, as he was taken prisoner before night
and compelled to strip himself of the boots and lug
them into camp hung around his neck, himself march
ing barefooted over the flinty road."
When Colonel Wilson was discharged, Brigadier
General Birge, commanding the brigade of which the
Fourteenth Eegiment formed a part, wrote the Gover-
Col 4* U.S.C. Inft.Brt Ma\ Gen U S.V
FO UR TEENTH REGIMENT. 505
nor of New Hampshire, requesting Major Gardiner's
appointment over the Lieut. Colonel, who had held the
office from the formation of the regiment. He wrote :
"I am informed that Major Gardiner has been constantly
on duty with his regiment since its organization. —
During the time it has been under my command he has
performed the duties of his office with fidelity, ability
and zeal, and I believe him well qualified and competent
for the rank recommended. In my opinion, his pro
motion is deserved, and will be for the benefit of the
service and the regiment, and creditable to the State
which he represents." This recommendation was fol
lowed, and Major Gardiner received his commission as.
Colonel only the day before the battle of Opequan
Creek, near Winchester, Ya., September 19, 1864, where
he was mortally wounded. He died of his wounds on
the 8th of the following month. His remains were
brought to Claremont and buried with Masonic honors
by Hiram Lodge. Prof. E. T. Howe, of Kimball Union
Academy, who had been Colonel Gardiner's teacher,
and was for a time chaplain of his regiment, preached
an appropriate and impressive sermon, at the town hall,
to a large concourse of people. His horse with the
empty saddle, followed him to the grave.
GENERAL SAMUEL A. DUNCAN.
Brevet Major General Samuel A. Duncan was born
at Plainfield, Sullivan County, New Hampshire, June
19, 1836. His parents were Samuel Bell and Ruth
Ticknor Duncan. He finished his preparatory college
course of study at Kimball Union Academy, in his
native village, Meriden, and graduated at Dartmouth
College, Hanover, New Hampshire, in 1858, taking the
first honors of the class. After graduation he taught
a high school two years at Quincy, Massachusetts, and
506 THE GREAT REBELLION.
was then called back to Dartmouth College as tutor,
where he remained until the summef of 1862. After
the terrible reverses of the Union army at the Penin
sula, in 1862, Mr. Duncan announced to his friends his
resolve to enter the army, and said he would go as a
private, if necessary. He was soon tendered the position
of Major of the Fourteenth Regiment, which he accept
ed, and was mustered in with the other field officers, in
September, 1862.
Major Duncan's regiment was engaged in provost
duty at Washington, D. C., in the summer of 1863,
when day by day the roar of conflict between the con
tending hosts of the Union and of the Rebellion, in
their northward march toward Gettysburg, was borne
upon the wind to his camp, his inactive life became
extremely irksome. An opportunity for escape, and
more honorable, because more active and dangerous,
service opened. The "War Department inaugurated the
policy of organizing colored troops, and with a view
to officering them established a Military Board of which
General Casey was President, to examine candidates
for appointment. Major Duncan appeared before this
Board in July, and passed for " Colonel " in " Class 1,"
ranking first out of about two hundred examinations
then made. On the 16th of September, 1863, he was
commissioned Colonel of the Fourth Regiment U. S.
Colored Infantry, then organizing in Baltimore. The
first parade of this regiment through the streets of
Baltimore, soon after, was one of the prominent events
in the war annals of that secession city. The streets
and buildings along the route of the procession were
crowded with curious and with frowning spectators.
Contrary to the apprehensions of the War Department
the display passed off without any serious disturbance.
On the 1st of October Colonel Duncan was ordered
with his regiment to Fortress Monroe, and thence to
FO UR TEENTH REGIMENT. 507
Yorktowii, where it passed the winter — taking part in
various expeditions in the Peninsula, prominent among
which was General Wistar's attempt on Richmond ; the
surprise and capture of the enemy's camp at Charles
City Court House, and the march to the aid of Kilpat-
rick in his expedition from the Army of the Potomac
against Richmond. In the latter case the telegraphic
order from Washington to send a column to support
Kilpatrick, reached Yorktown about three o'clock in
the afternoon. At four the. troops of Colonel Duncan's
brigade were on the march, amid a drenching rain and
through the pitchy blackness of the pine woods above
Williamsburg, and yet they made forty-six miles in
twenty-three hours.
In February, 1864, General Butler, then in command
of the Department of 'Virginia and E"orth Carolina,
organized a brigade of Colored Troops, consisting of
Colonel Duncan's regiment, one from Ohio, and two
from Philadelphia, and he was placed in command. It
was the Third Brigade of the Colored Division of the
Eighteenth Corps. "When the campaign of 1864 opened
it was one of the very best officered and best drilled
brigades in the entire army. '
General Smith commanded the Eighteenth Corps,
and General Hinks was in command of the Colored
Division. In the ascent of the James river on the 5th
of May, Colonel Duncan's part of the programme was
to land his brigade at City Point, where a desperate
defense was anticipated, and preparations made accord
ingly ; but the small garrison surrendered without firing
a shot. On the 15th of June General Smith, with the
Eighteenth Corps, assaulted the defenses of Petersburg,
on which occasion the colored troops showed great dash
and courage. After the successful assault in the morn
ing upon the outer and temporary line of works, Colonel
Duncan was ordered forward into the general line, and
508 THE GREAT REBELLION.
to hold his troops in readines to charge at any moment.
The division, by the withdrawal, after the engagement
of the morning of one regiment, had been reduced to
five regiments and two batteries, all which, save a single
regiment, were under command of Colonel Duncan.
General Hinks was seriously injured in the morning by
his horse falling into a ditch, and could not afterward
appear upon the field, and all the movements were made
under the direction of Colonel Duncan — though not the
senior colonel — by especial orders from General Hinks,
who retained the nominal command. For six hours the
troops remained in the line in an exposed position,
before the order to charge was given. "When it was
given the colored troops jumped to their feet, and made
as gallant a charge as ever veterans made, capturing six
pieces of artillery among the trophies of the day. The
casualties during the afternoon exceeded a hundred.
To Colonel Duncan belonged much of the credit of the
important results of that day's work. Two hours after
the fight was over, at ten o'clock in the evening, Gen
eral Hinks went to Colonel Duncan and thanked him
for the part he had taken, and said that for his work he
should have the same rank as himself. He at once
made the recommendation, which went forward favora
bly endorsed, but was not afterward heard from.
At the attack on Battery Harrison, on the 29th of
September, the colored troops under Colonel Duncan
rendered gallant service. He lost two of his staff offi
cers on that day, and was himself severely wounded in
the ankle. He was incapacitated for field service for
five months. In general orders, dated October 11, 1864,
General Butler, in command of the Department of Vir
ginia and North Carolina, said: "In the charge on the
enemy's works by the colored division of the Eighteenth
Corps at Spring Hill, New Market — better men were
never better led — better officers never led better men.
FO UR TEENTH REGIMENT. 509
With hardly an exception, officers of colored troops
have justified the care with which they have been
selected. A few more such gallant charges, and to
command colored troops will be the post of honor in
the American armies." In this order Colonel Duncan
was recommended for promotion.
Colonel Duncan rejoined his command in North
Carolina, and participated in the operation against
"Wilmington ; and subsequently, in common with Gen
eral Terry's forces joined with Sherman in his move*
ments against Raleigh and General Johnston. After
the cessation of hostilities, he had local commands in
North Carolina, and in the fall and winter of 1865 was
in command of the line of forts surrounding Washing
ton and on the northern bank of the Potomac. Colonel
Duncan was brevetted Brigadier General for gallantry
at New Market Heights, Va,, Sept. 29, 1864; and
subsequently, upon the recommendation of his com
manding officers, while yet in the field, was brevetted
Major General of Volunteers. He was mustered out
of the service on May 6th, 1866, and was- afterward a
Special Agent in the War Department. For the last
two years he has been a principal Examiner in the
United States Pension office.
The Fourteenth Regiment arrived at Washington
when no further force was required in the Army of the
Potomac, or at Fortress Monroe, and was ordered to
report to General Grover, and was assigned to a brigade
which consisted of the Thirty-ninth Massachusetts,
Fourteenth New Hampshire, Tenth Vermont, and
Twenty-third Maine regiments, Infantry, and Tenth
Massachusetts Battery. General Grover was soon
ordered to other duty, and the command of the brig
ade devolved upon Colonel P. S. Davis, of the Thirty-
ninth Massachusetts regiment. The winter was spent
510 THE GREAT REBELLION.
by the brigade in the arduous duty of picketing the
river for an extent of forty miles.
In the latter part of April, 1863, the regiment marched
to Washington, and went into camp on the north side of
the city, at the end of New York Avenue, where it
remained until February, 1864. During this time the
regiment did provost duty in Washington, the nature
of which was responsible and various. It furnished
guards for the Old Capitol Prison and Central Guard
House, and a number of men for about ten other posts
in the city. One company was detached and on duty
at the principal landing for steamboats and other vessels
from the South. The chief duty of this detachment
was the suppression of contraband trade and the arrest
of unauthorized travelers. Thus the men were kept
perpetually busy.
Early in February the regiment was ordered to Har
per's Ferry, and thence to Cumberland, eighty miles
further west. They returned to Harper's Ferry, and
then to Washington, arriving there on the 25th. Soon
after the regiment was ordered to the Department of the
Gulf, and after a brief visit to New Hampshire, they
sailed from New York for New Orleans, on the 20th of
March, on two vessels. On their arrival they were
quartered at Camp Parapet, and did miscellaneous duty
there, at Carrollton, Jefferson City and along Lake
Pontchartrain as far as Pass Manchac, and furnished a
large daily detail for labor on the fortifications. On the
7th of June the regiment reported to General Emery at
Morganzia, near the mouth of the Red river, and was
attached to General Birge's brigade. General Birge
was absent and the command devolved on Colonel
Robert Wilson, of the Fourteenth, and the command of
the regiment upon Major Gardiner. This region was
very unhealthy and malarious, and the men soon began
FO URTEENTH REGIMENT. 511
to sink under the combined evil influences of a hot and
unhealthy climate and improper diet.
On the 13th of July the Fourteenth took transporta
tion for the north, six companies under Colonel Wilson,
on one vessel, and the remaining four under Major
Gardiner, on another. The regiment was not re-united
until the 19th of August, at Berry ville, where they
joined Sheridan's army. Early in September Colonel
"Wilson resigned on account of serious failure of health,
and Major Gardiner was commissioned Colonel of the
regiment.
i
BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.
On the 19th of September occurred the battle at
Opequan Creek, near Winchester, Va., in which the
Fourteenth Regiment participated, and- suffered the loss
of many of its bravest and best officers and men. The
army was in position two miles to the westward of the
Opequan, in two lines of battle, with the Eighth Corps
in reserve. The advance was made at half-past eleven
o'clock, Birge's brigade on the right of the first line,
and the Fourteenth New Hampshire on the right of the
brigade. The rebels were driven from their position in
splendid style, the brigades directly opposed to Birge's
being completely broken. But it has been said the
advance was too impetuous to permit the Union troops
to hold the ground, for it brought them close upon a
rebel battery which had been shelling them during the
advance, and now at short range raked the line with
grape and canister. The second line was a long distance
in the rear, and the rebels were re-enforced by a division
just arrived from Bunker Hill. The order was there
fore given to fall back in order, and firing. In falling
back the Fourteenth Regiment sustained a heavy loss.
Thirteen officers of the twenty-one who went into the
512 THE GREAT REBELLION.
fight, and one hundred and thirty men, were killed,
wounded or prisoners. Only eight were taken prison
ers, and some of these were wounded. Captains Chaffin
and Fosgate, and Lieuts. Paull and Fiske were killed.
Colonel Gardiner was mortally wounded, and died on
the 8th of October. Eight other officers, and over a
hundred men were more or less wounded. The second
line came up, and the regiments of the first line took
their place with them. Irregular firing was kept up
while the Eighth Corps was getting into position on the
right to turn the left flank of the rebels, and connect
with the cavalry who were advancing down the Martins-
burg pike. At four o'clock the left of the enemy was
completely turned, and the whole army advanced impet
uously, driving the rebels beyond Winchester, taking
twenty-five hundred prisoners, besides all their wound
ed, and five pieces of artillery. The command of the
regiment devolved on Captain Tolman.
On the 20th of September the army moved after the
retreating rebels. On the 22d was fought the brilliant
battle of Fisher's Hill, the Fourteenth advancing in
splendid style against the breastworks, with the first
line of Grover's division. Our army followed the rebels
closely for a week, falling upon their rear, until they
reached Harrisonburg, eighty miles from Winchester.
Captain Ripley was made provost marshal, and the
Fourteenth Regiment was detailed for provost duty
in the town.
THE BATTLE OF CEDAR CREEK
Occurred on the 19th of October, in which the Four
teenth Regiment behaved so bravely as to win the
approbation of General Birge. The battle commenced
before sunrise, the rebels under General Early advanc
ing with a heavy force from Fisher's Hill upon the
FO UR TEENTH REGIMENT. 513
Union army, overwhelming and driving it back in some
confusion, by greatly superior numbers. Later in the
forenoon the advance of the rebel army was checked,
and the Union army held their position. General
Sheridan had been in Washington, and reached Win
chester that morning. From there he rode with all
possible haste, when he heard the artillery from Cedar
creek, and reached the army between ten and eleven
o'clock. He at once made preparations for recovering
the position that had been lost. While the rebels were
kept in check by a ceaseless cannonade, the main line
of the army was withdrawn and re-formed across the
Winchester pike, a mile north of Middletown, confront
ing the rebel army. Cavalry was on each wing, and the
three corps were arranged in one long line of battle
betwreen. At three o'clock the line was ordered to
advance. They met the rebels securely posted behind
stone walls, dislodged them after hard fighting, drove
them from wall to wall, from crest to crest; and by
sunset had driven them beyond the ground from which
the army had been forced in the morning. The cavalry
coming in on the right and left, pursued the enemy up
the valley to Fisher's Hill, and the next morning follow
ed them to Mount Jackson. The rebel army left every
thing in its flight — forty-eight cannon, ambulances,
wagons, and five thousand stands of arms. The cavalry
brought in two thousand prisoners, which were all they
could take care of. The day that opened with disaster,
closed with such a victory as is not often seen. The
total loss in this engagement was reported as four
thousand and eighty-six. The Fourteenth Regiment
lost eight killed, fifty-five wounded, and sixteen prison
ers. Among those captured was Captain Ripley, who
was in command of the regiment. He was taken
prisoner soon after sunrise. The command of the
regiment fell upon Captain Marston, which he retained
514 THE GREAT REBELLION.
until the middle of December, when Captain Tolman
was promoted to major. The same ^nonth Carroll D.
Wright was promoted from Adjutant to Colonel, and
assumed command.
The first week in January the division to which the
Fourteenth Regiment was attached moved to Savannah,
and arrived there about the middle of the month, just
as the last corps of Sherman's army was leaving the city,
and General Grover assumed command of the district,
which included the eastern part of the State. The
Fourteenth, with other regiments, was quartered in the
city on provost duty. Here the regiment remained
until the 6th of May, when they marched to Augusta.
While there they guarded Jeff. Davis, and the prison
ers taken with him, to the steamer that carried him
to Savannah. The regiment was ordered to Savannah
early in June, to be mustered out, where it remained a
month before transportation was obtained for the north.
In March Colonel Wright and Lieut. Colonel Barker
having resigned, Captain 0. H. Marston, Company K,
was promoted to Lieut. Colonel, and commanded the
regimeat until it was mustered out. Surgeon William
Henry Thayer was appointed medical director of the
second division, Nineteenth Corps, in February, and
Assistant Surgeon Marshall Perkins had charge of the
regiment from that time. Lieut. C. Fred Webster, regi
mental quartermaster, was detailed as assistant post
quartermaster. Captain Ira Berry, Jr., had command of
Camp Distribution during the spring. Lieut. M. M.
Holmes commanded the camp of colored refugees.
Lieut. A. F. Hussey was detailed as assistant street
commissioner. Captain George F. Blanchard was as
sistant adjutant general of the first brigade, after
December, 1864. A large number of officers and men
w^ere detailed for responsible duties, and the regiment
FO URTEENTH REGIMENT. 515
had the reputation of being faithful, brave and reliable,
in every position.
The Fourteenth Regiment lost by death above two
hundred men and officers. Seventy of these fell in bat
tle, or died of their wounds. The remainder sank
under disease brought on in the discharge of their duty,
in unhealthy climates, and among them were many val
uable and beloved officers.
The Governor and Council caused a suitable monu
ment to be erected near Winchester, Va. It was
dedicated on the 9th of April, 1866, with impressive
ceremonies, and bears this inscription :
" New Hampshire erects this Monument to the mem
ory of her brave sons of the Fourteenth Regiment, who
fell in battle, September 19th, 1864, upon this field, and
are here buried in one common grave."
Captain W. II. Chaffiu. Corporal G. W. Hazen. Private M. Marston.
Captain W. A. Fosgate. Corporal S. Tasker. Private G. T. Souther.
Lieutenant H. S. Paull. Corporal C. W. Noyes. Private W. A. Scott.
Lieutenant J. A. Fiske. Private N. Wyman. Private L. Parker.
Sergeant C. C. Wilson. Private S. H. Young. Private 0. A. Barnes.
Sergeant G. W. Felch. Private G. Perrigo. Private S. Waters.
Sergeant M. McCurdy. Private G. L. Wetherbee. Private H. 0. Baker.
Sergeant A. A. Baker. Private F. B. Andrews. Private D. J. Cameron.
Corporal N. P. Rust. Private H. L. Haynes. Private D. H. Phelps.
Corporal D. W. Chase. Private A. E. Boyd.
Corporal M. Allen. Private C. L. Roman.
MORTALLY WOUNDED.
Colonel A. Gardiner. Corporal G. W. Tucker. Private G. B. Cofran.
Lieutenant A. B Colburn. Private L. Willard. Private II. Atwood.
Lieutenant G. H. Stone. Private L. E. Bent. Private A. Harriiuan.
Corporal 0. Straw. Private L. G. Merrill.
Corporal H. F. Brown. Private R. Varney.
516 THE GREAT REBELLION.
FIFTEENTH REGIMENT.
This was the first regiment raised in New Hampshire
under the call of the President for three hundred
thousand nine months' troops. Early in October it was
determined to organize one regiment of nine months'
men to each of the three congressional districts, and the
recruits then enrolled were ordered into camp at Con
cord. Those coming first into the rendezvous, without
regard to residence, were at once ordered into a regi
ment under Colonel J. W. Kingman, of Durham, and
were designated the Fifteenth New Hampshire Volun
teers. The following are the field, staff and company
officers, and their official record :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONELS — John W. Kingman, of Durham.
Mustered out August 13, 1 863.
Lieut. Colonels — George "W. Frost, of Newmarket.
Resigned Feb. 14, 1863.
Henry W. Blair, of Plymouth.
Mustered out Aug. 13, 1863.
Majors — George W. Frost, of Newmarket.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Oct. 7, 1862.
Henry W. Blair, of Plymouth.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel April 8, 1863.
John Aldrich, of Gilford.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Adjutant — Edward E. Pinkham, of Laconia.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Quartermaster — Ira A. Moody, of Dover.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Surgeons — Jeremiah F. Hall, of Wolfehorough.
Resigned Jan. 19, 1863.
Carl II. Horsch, of Dover.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
FIFTEENTH REGIMENT. 517
Ass't Surgeons — Benjamin K Towle, of Newmarket.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Joseph E. Janvrin, of Exeter.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Chaplain — Edwin M. Wheelock, of Dover.
Resigned July 18, 1863.
Sergeant Majors — John 0. "Wallingford, of Dover.
Promoted to Second Lieut. Jan. 18, 1863.
Jeremiah H. W. Tebbetts, of Rochester.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Quartermaster Sergeant — George W. Hobbs.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Commissary Sergeant — Josiah Kimball.
Discharged for disability May 16, 1863.
Hospital Steward — Willard C. Kempton, of Plaintield.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captains — John Aldrich, of Gilford.
Promoted to Major August 8, 1863.
Thomas Coggswell, jr., of Gilmanton.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lieuts. — Thos. Coggswell, jr., of Gilmanton.
"promoted to Captain April 8, 1863
John B. Hendley, of Alton.
Mustered out August ]3, 1863.
Second Lieuts. — John B. Hendley, of Alton.
Promoted to First Lieut. August 8, 1863.
Charles "W. Pickering, of Gilford.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Co. B.— Captain— John W. Ela, of Plymouth.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lieut.— Henry D. Wyatt, of Campton.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Second Lieut. — James A. Page, of Haverhill.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Co. C. — Captain — Moses Lang, of Bath.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lieut. — Charles S. Hazeltine, of Littleton.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Alvin C. Bean, of Enfield.
Mustered out August 18, 1863.
518 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Co. D. — Captain — Jonathan H. Johnson, of Deerfield.
Mustei^d out August 13, 1863
First Lieut. — Jeremiah C. Chadwick, of Deerfield.
Mustered out August 13, 18v.3.
Second Lieut. — W. M. Durgin, of Xorthwood.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Co. E. — Captain — William E. Stearns, of Manchester.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lieut. — James F. Parker, of Litchfield.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Francis A. Wood, of Hollis.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Co. F. — Captain — William Gordon, of Canaan.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lient. — Sylvester Martin, of Grafton.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Stephen Colby, of Springfield.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Co. G. — Captain — Lewis Osgood, of Pittsfield.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lieuts. — Thomas M. Huse, of Barnstead.
Resigned Feb. 23, 1863.
Joseph G. Ay era, of Northfield.
Mustered out August 13, 18G3.
Second Lieuts. — Joseph G. Avers, of Northfield.
Promoted to 'First Lieut. March 1, 1863.
Christ. C. Pickering, of Barnstead.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Co. H. — Captain — Jacob B. Sanborn, of Sanbornton.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lieut— Alfred B. Seavey, of Gilford.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Second Lieut. — W. Perkins, of Londonderry.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Co. I. — Captain — George E. Pinkham, of Rochester.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
First Lieut. — Alvah M. Kimball, of Rochester.
Resigned Jan. 15, 1863.
James D. Moore, of Middleton.
Mustered out August 13, 1863.
Second Lieuts. — James D. Moore, of Middleton.
Promoted to First Lieut. Jan. 18, 1863.
John 0. Wallingford, of Dover.
Wounded at Port Hudson June 14^ '63. Mustered out August 13, 1863.
FIFTEENTH REGIMENT. 519
Co. K. — Captain — Benjamin F. Hall, of Salem.
Mustered out August 13, 1863
First Lieut.— Elbridge G. Wood, of Hampstead.
Mustered out August 13, 1863
Second Lieut. — Wallace T. Larkin, of Chester.
Discharged on account of promotion, Aug. 11, 1863.
COLONEL JOHN W. KINGMAN.
Colonel Kingman was born at Barrington, Strafford
County, New Hampshire, in 1821. His ancestors, on
both sides, were connected with, or descended from
Elder William Brewster, of Mayflower memory. He
fitted for college at Phillips Exeter Academy, and grad
uated at Harvard in 1843. He studied law in the office
of Daniel Webster, in Boston, and commenced practice
in Cincinnati, Ohio; but soon returned to Dover, K. H.,
where he entered into a partnership with Hon. Daniel
M. Christie, and continued in the practice of his pro
fession until the commencement of the war. In Octo
ber, 1862, he was commissioned Colonel of the Fifteenth
Regiment. Its term of service was nominally nine
months, but extended from July, 1862, when the com
panies were raised, until August 13, 1863, when they
we.re mustered out. The time was too short for any
regiment to distinguish itself. It, however, bore an
important part in the campaign of Port Hudson, and
never failed to do all that could reasonably be expected
of it. He requested the officers, before leaving New
Hampshire, to sign a regimental temperance pledge, to
bind them all, during their term of service, to the strict
est sobriety; and every officer signed it, and every man
of them kept it with commendable integrity. As a
natural result, wherever the regiment was stationed,
they had the reputation of being the least disorderly regi
ment in the army. When at Carrollton, near New
Orleans, where were thirty-five regiments, the provost
520 THE GREAT REBELLION.
marshal told Colonel Kingman that the Fifteenth New
Hampshire was the only regiment there that had never
had an officer or man arrested by his guard. Colonel
Kingman early obtained the confidence and affection of
his men, and retained it to the end. On the 27th of
May, 1863, in the unsuccessful assault on Port Hudson,
the Second Division, of which the Fifteenth Regiment
formed a part, commanded by General T. W. Sherman,
lost nearly every officer in it, and Colonel Kingman was
left in command. It was in this engagement that Gen
eral Sherman lost a leg, and General Dow was badly
wounded. Colonel Kingman enjoyed the intimacy of
both these brave officers; but after they left General
Banks sent General Dwight — a man not distinguished
for courage or sobriety — to command the division.
It was intimated that his method of showing his prowess
was to order his officers under arrest, and at one time he
had nearly all of them deprived of their commands.
Colonel Porter, of the Fourteenth Maine, and Colonel
Kingman were among the first whose swords he de
manded. They were never tried, nor were there any
charges preferred against them. General Banks soon
removed General Dwight and ordered all the officers
back to their commands.
After being mustered out with his regiment, Colonel
Kingman made several unsuccessful attempts to again
enter the service, having a desire to do his share toward
finishing up the rebellion. He returned to civil life and
the practice of his profession. In April, 1869, he re
ceived from President Grant the appointment of Asso
ciate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Territory of
"Wyoming, which office he now holds.
The Fifteenth Regiment was mustered into the United
States service on the 12th of November, 1862, and
received its colors from the hand of Governor Berry.
FIFTEENTH REGIMENT. 521
On the 13th the regiment left Concord, under orders to
report to General N. P. Banks, at New York City, and
reached there next morning. The fore part of Decem
ber the regiment sailed on three different vessels for
New Orleans, the last detachment arriving there on the
26th of December, and being reunited went into camp
at Carrollton. On the 28th of January, 1863, the regi
ment moved to Camp Parapet, about two and a half
miles from Carrollton. It form-ed a part of the first
brigade, second division, Nineteenth Army Corps. The
brigade was composed of the Sixth Michigan, One
Hundred and Twenty-eighth New York, Fifteenth New
Hampshire, and Twenty-sixth Connecticut, and was
commanded by General Neal Dow. The two regiments
first named were three years' troops; the two last nine
months. Brigadier General T. W. Sherman commanded
the division. Here the regiment remained doing camp
and guard duty, furnishing details of officers and men
for different purposes, and with but few changes in the
organization, until the spring of 1863.
On the 20th of May the regiment embarked on board
steamers and sailed for Springfield Landing, where
it arrived on the 22d and joined its brigade. On the
23d they were joined by the Second Brigade of the
division. They moved cautiously through the woods
two and a half miles toward Port Hudson ; formed in
line of battle, advanced a short distance and halted for
the night. On the 24th they again moved toward the
rebel works, expecting to encounter a rebel force at
some earthworks about two miles from their main line
of defenses, but found them abandoned. The picket
line, supported by Companies D and E, advanced to
within about a thousand yards of the enemy's defensive
works, consisting of a parapet, seven miles in length,
extending from the river below Port Hudson to a bayou
above, with outer works commanding all avenues of
522 THE GREAT REBELLION.
approach; and a heavy growth of timber had been
felled for a distance of half a mile from the parapet.
These works were held by upward of eight thousond
men, and their position was worth at least twenty
thousand more, commanded by Major General Gardner,
formerly of the regular army. On the morning of the
25th of May, the Nineteenth Army Corps lay before
this rebel stronghold. General Sherman's division
consisted of two brigades, General Dow's and General
Nicholson's, each numbering about twelve hundred
men. General Dow had the right and General Nichol
son the left of the division.
On the 26th of May, four companies from the Fif
teenth, with detachments from other regiments, went
to the front, to burn some buildings occupied by the
rebels, which was accomplished without loss to the
regiment. At six o'clock, p. M., four companies, A, D,
E and K, under Major Aldrich, were ordered to the
front, to support the pickets.
On the the 27th an assault was ordered along the
whole line. The four companies under Major Aldrich,
thrown out on the flanks as sharpshooters and skirmish
ers, did good execution in picking off the rebel artillery
men. The other six companies formed a part of -the
assaulting column of the brigade, commanded by General
Dow, and led by Generals Sherman and Dow. The
brigade covered the south end of the eastern portion
of the enemy's works, and lay in line of battle about
three-fourths of a mile from the enemy. The interven
ing distance was level. Just in front was a long dense
belt of woods, some sixty rods in depth ; then an open
ing about forty rods wide and one hundred and fifty
long, from right to left ; then woods again, between
this opening and the enemy. There was a gap in
the woods, about forty rods wide, leading direct from
this cleared ground to a broad level space, on the fur-
FIFTEENTH REGIMENT. 523
ther side of which was the earth bank of the enemy.
The distance from the line of trees nearest the rebels
to their works was about a quarter of a mile. On the
right of this front was a deep ravine, with steep, irregu
lar sides, running direct to the enemy's works, forming
a right angle at the point of intersection. At one
o'clock, P. M., the brigade was drawn up in the first
clearing in front of its position. On the extreme left
were several batteries of artillery, which played through
the gap in the woods upon the rebel works. The fore
noon had been passed in sharp skirmishing along the
whole length of the lines, the light troops covering
themselves with stumps, bushes, and every thing that
afforded shelter, had pushed, in many places nearly up
to the rebel works. For two days the enemy had not
shown himself outside his defenses. The air was filled
with minnie balls, cannon shot and shell, which, how
ever, did but little damage to either side. The artillery
opened at one o'clock in earnest, and for half an hour
thundered upon the enemy. The fire was tremendous,
and the enemy replied with an incessant shower of
every conceivable missile. Soon a long train of wagons,
loaded with bags of cotton, boards, and long poles,
for bridging the ditch, and escorted by three hundred
negroes, burst through the smoke and hurried to
the front. The brigade was awaiting the order to
advance. It was soon given, and they went forward at
the double-quick, and met a terribly deadly fire from
the enemy. As they pressed on over fences and through
scattering trees, the men fell in fearful numbers. An
attempt was made to correct the alignment which had
become broken, but it was found impossible, and the
confusion soon became inextricable, so murderous was
the fire of the enemy. The bravest hurried to the front,
the cowards to the rear ; the whole knew not what to
do; to retreat was unthought of, and finally the whole
524 THE GREAT REBELLION.
brigade was swept away to the right, and went into the
ravine. Those in the extreme advance — and the Fif
teenth was largely represented there — seeing their sup
port disappear, leaped into the gorge themselves, while
their officers hurried back to arouse the middle and rear.
General Dow had been wounded and carried from the
field. There was no possibility of reforming the bri
gade; nothing could be done but push on, surmount the
parapet, if possible, and attack the enemy in his teeth.
A second advance was made, at double-quick, and when
in perfect range the enemy opened his fire, concentrated
from more than a mile of his works, direct upon the
column, but they did not falter. Lieut. Colonel Blair
was in command of the advance. As he started the
second time he asked General Sherman for instructions.
"Lead them ahead, straight ahead, dead on the enemy's
works," were the orders he received. The advance was
unsuccessful, and the troops were obliged to fall back to
the ravine in order to reform. General Sherman, having
been severely wounded, was taken from the field by men
of the Fifteenth. The command devolved upon Colonel
Cowles, of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth ISTew
York, who rallied the men and attempted another
advance, which was also unsuccessful. Colonel Cowles
ordered a retreat, and fell, mortally wounded, about
forty rods outside the enemy's works. There was one
more attempt to gain the works. A common soldier
came marching along alone, leading a white horse with
his right hand, waving the stars and stripes with his left,
and calling upon his comrades to rally, and rally they
did. The bank of the ravine was instantly alive with
soldiers, the parapet was ablaze again, and the men fell
fearfully fast; still they pressed on. The center and
rear of the column did not waver. The advance hurried
forward, was nearingthe parapet; it was not ten rods off;
here Lieut. Colonel Blair fell, severely wounded in the
FIFTEENTH REGIMENT. 525
arm. The brave fellow with the white horse, pressed
forward a few steps beyond, and fell, blood streaming
from his mouth. The men who rushed forward had
nearly all fallen, and with this ended the fight. At
night the troops were withdrawn. The loss was very
heavy, one fourth of the fighting men of the corps.
On the 13th of June fifty men from the Fifteenth,
under Lieuts. Seavey and Perkins, of Company H, with
the same number from the Twenty-sixth Connecticut,
all commanded by Lieut. Seavey, made a demonstra
tion against the enemy's works. Before advancing they
were addressed by Colonel Clark, commanding the brig
ade, who told them if there was a man among them
who feared to die, he then had an opportunity to honor
ably retire, but that they must choose then or not at all.
Not a man of the Fifteenth left the ranks, and but one of
the Twenty-sixth Connecticut. They were then deployed
as skirmishers and ordered to advance across the scene
of the late battle, coolly and steadily, toward the rebel
parapet, up to it, and over it. They obeyed their
instructions until many of them had fallen, when, not
being supported, they laid down, and covering them
selves as they could, they fought away until dark.
There never was a braver act than the charge of that
line of skirmishers. The rebels were struck with
admiration, and, after they were well up, issued orders
to kill no more such brave fellows, but by a sally to
endeavor to capture them. But for this forbearance of
the enemy probably not a man could have escaped.
The loss of the regiment in this affair was thirteen
killed and wounded, or more than one-fourth of the
number engaged.
The next day another attack was made upon the
enemy's works. Soon after sunrise the Fifteenth com
manded by Lieut. Colonel Blair, followed by the Twenty-
sixth Connecticut, marched up the road, from a position
526 THE GREAT REBELLION.
near the river which had been reached by a circuitous
route of six miles, to within seven liundred yards of
the rebel works. Here they formed in line of battle
and advanced about four hundred yards, under a heavy
artillery fire, and came upon a concealed ravine, filled
with fallen timber, underbrush and briar vines, which
was impassable. There was no path to the right or the
left, and after some hesitation the regiments plunged
into the gorge. Some struggled through and came up
on the other side, but to no purpose. The division
remained there during the day, intensely tortured by
heat, hunger and thirst, under the fire of the enemy, but
the men were so well protected by the underbrush that
but few were harmed. At night the command was
withdrawn. The loss in the Fifteenth was two officers
and twenty-four men wounded. Lieut. Colonel Blair
was hit by a minnie ball on the arm previously wounded.
Captain J. H. Johnson, of Company D, was prostrated
by exertion and heat, and died at his home at Deerfield,
on the 14th of October. Colonel Clark, who command
ed the brigade on the 14th of June, in his report of the
engagement said of the Fifteenth New Hampshire Regi
ment: "Both officers and men conducted themselves in
a manner worthy of American soldiers. The nine
months' men have demonstrated, by their gallant con
duct, that they can be relied on in any emergency."
The siege of Port Hudson continued, both armies
erecting batteries and strengthening their works, for
several days, without either molesting the other. At
length fire was opened simultaneously from each side,
and continued for several days; the rebel guns were dis
mounted and the rebel flag shot away several times, and
finally not raised again, though no breach was made
sufficient to warrant an attempt to take the works by
storm. After the receipt of the news of the fall of
FIFTEENTH REGIMENT. 527
Vicksburg, General Gardner unconditionally surrender
ed Port Hudson to General Banks.
On the 26th of July the regiment turned over its
camp and ordnance stores and started on its way home.
It reached Concord on the 8th of August, and was mus
tered out, paid and discharged on the 13th. When the
regiment was mustered out of service, though there
were thirty-nine officers and seven hundred and two
enlisted men whose names were borne upon the rolls,
less than thirty officers, and not four hundred and fifty
enlisted men were fit for duty. The siege of Port Hud
son and the climate of Louisiana had thus sadly thinned
the ranks.
528 THE OREAT REBELLION.
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT.
The Sixteenth Regiment was raised under the same
call of the President for three hundred thousand nine
months' men as the Fifteenth. Its muster in was com
pleted on the 1st of November, 1862. The following
were its field, staff" and company officers, with the
official record of each :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONEL — James Pike, of Sanbornton.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Lieut. Colonel — Henry "W. Fuller, of Concord.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Majors — Henry W. Fuller, of Concord.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Nov. 1, 1862.
Samuel Davis, Jr., of Warner.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Adjutant — Luther T. Townsend, of Salem.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Quartermaster — Albert H. Drown, of Fisherville.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Surgeon — Thomas Sanborn, of Newport.
Resigned June 13, 1863.
Assistant Surgeons — Cyrus M. Fiske, of Bradford.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Sylvester Campbell.
Died at Camp Parapet, Feb. 6, 1863.
Herbert Sleeper, of Grantham.
Captured June 28, 1863. Exchanged. Mustered out Aug. 30, 1863.
Chaplain — R. M. Manley, of Northfield.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Sergeant Majors — Frank B. Modica, of Ilenniker.
Promoted to Second Lieut. March 1, 1863.
Charles J. Wright, of Pelham.
Promoted to Second Lieut. June 20, 1863.
Quartermaster Sergeant — G. M. Wilkins, of Henniker.
Promoted to Second Lieut. April 25, 1863.
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT. 529
Commissary Sergeant — David D. Smith, of Concord.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
Hospital Stewards — Paul S. Adams, of Newport
Discharged for disability July 2, 1863.
Clarence S. Wilkins, of Warner.
Mustered out Aug. 20, 1863.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A. — Captain — Elias F. Smith of Lebanon.
Mustered out August 20, 1862.
First Lieut. — Bela Sawyer, of Lyme.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Charles S. Cooper, of Concord.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Co. B. — Captain — Albert J. Hersey, of Wolfeborough.
Mustered out August 20,^1863.
First Lieuts. — 0. B. Burnham, of Hillsborough.
Resigned Feb. 4,^1863.
Albert "W. Wiggin, of Wolfeborough.
Mustered out August" 20, 1863.
Second Lieuts. — A. W. Wiggin, of Wolfeboro'.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 5, 1863.
Alvah S. Libby, of Wolfeborough.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Co. C. — Captains — Aaron A. Clark, of Wilton.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
First Lieut.— Henry M. Mills, of Milford.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Joseph E. O'Donnell, of Mason.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Co. D. — Captain — Daniel E. Howard, of Hopkinton.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
First Lieut. — Charles H. Herbert, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain and Commissary of Subsistence U. S. V. Jan. 20, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Robert S. Davis, of Concord.
Mustered out August 20, 1863
Co. E. — Captain — Jonathan P. Sanborn, of Franklin.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
First Lieut.— David E. Burbauk, of Webster.
Resigned July 18, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Prescott Jones, of Wilmot.
Died at CarroUton, La., Jan. 11, 1863,
530 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Co. F.— Captain— Charles II. Woods, of Fitzwilliam.
Mustfred out August 20, 1863.
First Lieut. — Edgar E. Adams, of Grantham.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Second Lieuts. — John S. Baker.
Died March 17, 1863.
Frank B. Modica, of Ilenniker.
Mustered out August 20, 1863
Co. G. — Captain — G. W. Bosworth, of Lyndeborough.
Mustered out August 20, 1868.
First Lieut. — Barton A. Ballou, of Weare.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Second Lieut. — M. L. Colburn, of New Boston.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Co. H. — Captain — John L. Eice, of Cornish.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
First Lieut— Proctor D. Ward, of Bradford.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Philip C. Bean, of Warner.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Co. I. — Captains — David Buftum, 2d, of S \vanzey.
Died at New Orleans, La., June 19, 1863
Judson Wilkins, of Washington. .
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
First Lieuts. — Judson Wilkins, of Washington.
Promoted to Captain June 20, 1863.
Brooks K. Webber, of Antrim.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Second Lieuts. — Brooks K. Webber, of Antrim.
Promoted to First Lieut. June 20, 1863.
Charles J. Wright, of Pelham.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
Co. K. — Captain — Joseph K Thatcher, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
First Lieut. — George T. Wildes, of Portsmouth.
Died at New Orleans, La., April 20, 1863.
Second Lieut. — Win. A. Haven, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out August 20, 1863.
COLONEL JAMES PIKE.
Colonel Pike was born at Salisbury, Massachusetts, in
November, 1818 ; was educated at the Wesleyan Univer
sity, in Connecticut; is a minister of the Methodist
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT. 531
Episcopal Church, having commenced preaching in
1841, and had been presiding elder. He was elected a
member of the Thirty-fourth Congress from the First
New Hampshire District, in 1855, and was re-elected for
a second term in 1857, and was a member of the Com
mittee on Enrolled Bills. In October, 1862, he was
commissioned Colonel of the Sixteenth Regiment New
Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, and served with it
during its term of enlistment. His military record is
identical with the history of that regiment. He is a
clergyman of considerable ability, stands high with the
Methodist denomination ; is Presiding Elder of the
Dover District of the New Hampshire Conference, and
was one of a committee to investigate the affairs of the
Methodist Book Concern, of New York.
The Sixteenth Regiment joined the Banks Expedition
and sailed from New York on the 6th of December,
1862, on two separate vessels. The first detachment
arrived at New Orleans on the 20th, and were joined by
the second on the 1st of January, 1863. The regiment
remained at Carrollton and in the defenses of New
Orleans until the advance on Port Hudson. On the
llth of January Second Lieut. Prescott Jones, of Com
pany E, a beloved young officer, died of disease. On
the 17th of March Second Lieut. John S. Baker, of
Company F, died of fever. He was one of the most
competent and promising line officers in the regiment.
On the 17th of March an advance was made to within
six miles of Port Hudson, in which the Sixteenth par
ticipated. Three musicians of the regiment were cap
tured by the enemy, while sleeping in a slave cabin
belonging to a plantation, the female occupants of the
house on which having signaled the rebels.
On the 18th of April the regiment was ordered by
General Banks to embark on gunboats and co-operate in
532 THE GREAT REBELLION.
an attack upon Fort Burton, at Butte a la Rose, a fort
some seventy-five miles beyond Brasheftr. This fort was
situated in a cove on the Alchafalaya river, at a confluence
of bayous, and its possession, after the triumphant ad
vance of our army to Opelousas, was of importance, as a
protection to the rear of the columns ; and immediately
after its capture the gunboat Arizona opened communi
cation with Admiral Faragut, on Red river. The Six
teenth, acting as sharpshooters, was distributed among
four gunboats. Arrived at Fort Burton, on the 19th, a
short engagement took place, and the confederate flag
was hauled down, the fort surrendered to the commander
of the squadron, who took possession of the works,
arsenal and barracks and sent the garrison prisoners to
NQW Orleans. The Sixteenth remained here, a most
pestilent location, surrounded by dense forests and
impenetrable swamps, six weeks. Disease was contract
ed from which many of the men subsequently died.
The regiment had been in command of the Lieut.
Colonel since leaving 'New Orleans, Colonel Pike having
been left there quite out of health. A short time before
leaving Fort Burton he arrived and assumed command,
which he retained until the muster out of the regiment.
On the 30th of May the regiment received orders
from General Banks to join his forces at Port Hudson.
Before leaving they burned the barracks surrendered by
the rebels, and some other buildings, this having been a
shipping point for cotton, sugar, &c., and the guns of
the fort were shipped on board transports sent up from
Brashear City. The rebel pickets were close upon the
retiring troops, and had their stay been prolonged a day
later they would have been captured, and they were
believed at New Orleans to have been "gobbled up" by
the advancing enemy. From Algiers the sick of the
regiment were sent to New Orleans, and the main body
passed up the river to Springfield Landing, where orders
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT. 533
were received for Colonel Pike to report with his com
mand, at the headquarters of General Banks, and the
Sixteenth was assigned to guard duty over the arsenal
of the besieging army. This disposition of the regi
ment had been determined on previous to its arrival, on
account of telegraphic reports from General Emery,
commanding defenses of New Orleans, to General
Banks, that there were " only a few skeletons of the
Sixteenth New Hampshire left." When the regiment
took possession of Butte a la Rose it numbered near six
hundred guns; when they reached the headquarters of
General Banks before Port Hudson, they could muster
but two hundred and sixteen.
At Springfield Landing, which was the depot of sup
plies for the whole army, a detachment from the Six
teenth encountered a sudden attack of the enemy's
cavalry, which, if successful, would have put the entire
force investing Port Hudson on "short commons."
"While before Port Hudson, the regiment was, for
weeks, in line from three o'clock in the morning till
daylight, in the expectation of an attack by outlying
parties of the enemy upon that part of the line of
investment.
On the 8th of July Port Hudson surrendered, and on
the 10th the Sixteenth was among the last of the forces
to enter the works. Here were almost daily burials of
the dead of the regiment, until the 1st of August, when
it embarked for home, by way of Cairo. At Vicksburg,
General Grant, on the personal solicitation of Colonel
Pike, ordered his post surgeon to examine the sick of
his regiment, with a view to transfer to the fine floating
hospital there of all who were unable to bear the journey
home, and scores were left, many to be buried by
stranger hands. At Cairo similar scenes transpired, and
many were left at other places on the route, several of
whom never reached home. The regiment reached
534 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
Concord on the 14th, and was finally paid and discharg
ed on the 20th. Though this regiment saw but little
hard fighting, it suffered as much from disease, induced
by exposure and the malaria of southern swamps, as any
from New Hampshire had done from all causes combined,
in the same length of time.
SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT. 535
SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.
As has been stated in connection with the Fifteenth
Regiment, in the autumn of 1862, a call was received
by the Governor of the State for nine months' men
sufficient to fill three regiments of infantry ; and it was
determined to apportion this levy between the three
congressional -districts — the Fifteenth to correspond to
the first district; the Sixteenth to correspond to the
second district, and the Seventeenth regiment to the
third district. The field officers of the respective
commands were immediately thereafter commissioned
and announced accordingly. It was deemed advisable
to fill the regiments in their numerical order, as fast
as men were enlisted, without regard to their place
of residence. Accordingly those who volunteered with
promptitude in the third district were ordered into the
Fifteenth and Sixteenth regiments, leaving for the
Seventeenth the dilatory levies from all the districts.
On the 19th of November the regiment was ordered into
camp at Concord. The field and staff officers were :
Colonel Henry 0. Kent, of Lancaster; Lient. Colonel,
Charles H. Long, of Claremont; Major, George H.
Bellows, of Walpole; Adjutant, George A. Wainwright,
of Hanover; Quartermaster, Edward N. Cumrnings;
Surgeon, James D. Folsom ; Assistant Surgeons, Luther
C. Bean, Horatio N. Small; Chaplain, George S. Barnes,
Sergeant Major, J. W. Perkins; Quartermaster Ser
geant, John C. Jenness, of Lancaster, Commissary Ser
geant, John P. Dennison, of Lancaster ; Hospital Stew
ard, Albra L. Robinson.
Nearly a full company, above the required quota of
636 THE GREA T REBELLION.
the town, had volunteered for this regiment in Lancas
ter, the residence of the Colonel; and* the records of the
Adjutant General's office show that there were enlisted
and mustered into the Seventeenth, and enlisted in the
territory originally assigned it, seven hundred and
ninety-one men. The unfilled quotas of the third district,
at the time of the consolidation of the Seventeenth and
Second, with this number, seven hundred and ninety-
one, more than reaching the minimum number of men
required by the regulations for a complete regimental
organization.
The regimental organization was perfected, and the
drill, discipline and instruction of the command com
menced, and was scrupulously adhered to. In December
it was decided to postpone the State draft, and orders were
issued to reject all substitutes applying for enlistment
on the unfilled quotas. Very few volunteers appeared,
and on the 9th of February, 1863, officers and men of
the Seventeenth Regiment were furloughed until the 1st
of the succeeding April, at which time the command
*gain reported in camp, cheered by the official assurance
that the regiment would be at once filled, in order to
participate in the spring and summer campaign of 1863.
About this time orders were received by Governor
Berry, from the Secretary of "War, to consolidate the
Seventeenth and Second Regiments, under such regula
tions as he might prescribe. On the 16th of April, 1863,
this order was carried into effect, the officers and non
commissioned officers of the regiment mustered out,
and the enlisted men transferred. The order effecting
this expressed in emphatic terms the approbation of the
civil and military authorities of the soldierly deportment
of the regiment from the time of its organization, and
the excellent discipline and deportment that had uni
formly characterized the command, was remarked on
every hand. The failure to fill and forward the Seven-
SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT. 537
teenth Eegiment was in no way attributable to its offi-
,rs, and the circumstances which seemed to make the
consolidation advisable were regretted alike by officers
and men. The men proved excellent soldiers, and
behaved so well at Gettysburg as to elicit a special order
of commendation from the colonel of the regiment at
the expiration of their term of service.
538 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
^
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT.
On the 19th of July, 1864, the War Department
issued an order calling for five hundred thousand volun
teers, and under this call the State authorities com
menced recruiting the Eighteenth Regiment. Charles
H. Bell, of Exeter, was commissioned Colonel, and
James "W. Carr, of Manchester, Lieut. Colonel, both of
whom resigned before being mustered into the United
States service, and their places were filled by the
appointment of Thomas L. Livermore, of Milford, and
Joseph M. Clough, of New London.
The quota of the State having been filled at the organi
zation of the sixth company, no further companies were
raised until the next call for troops, which was made on
the 21st of December. The remaining companies were
now commenced, and on the 17th of January, 1865,
Major Thomas L. Livermore, of the Fifth, who was at
the time serving on the staff of Major General Hum
phries, as assistant inspector general of the Second
Corps, was commissioned Colonel. During the months
of February, March and April, three of the new com
panies joined the regiment. Company K, however, was
stationed on duty at Galloupe's Island, in Boston har
bor, and was never ordered to the front, but was mus
tered out at that place, on the 6th of May, by order of
the War Department. As soon as the tenth company
had been mustered into service, Colonel Livermore was
also mustered, and joined his regiment on the 8th of
April. The following is the list of field, staff and com
pany officers of this regiment, and the official record of
each:
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT. 539
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONEL — Thomas L. Livermore, of Milford.
Appointed Colonel U. S. V., by brevet, while Major 5th N. H. V., for
highly valuable and meritorious services, to date from April 7; 1865. Muster
ed out as Colonel, June 23, 1865.
Lieut. Colonel — Joseph M. Clough, of New London.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Majors — William I. Brown, of Fisherville.
Killed at Fort Steadman, Va., March 29, 1865.
Alvah K. Potter, of Concord.
Mustered out June 23, 1865.
Adjutants — George F. Hobbs, of Wakefield.
Discharged for disability March 18, 1865.
Samuel S. Caswell, of Strafford.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Quartermaster — Moses T. Cate, of Wolfeborough.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Surgeons — Samuel G. Dearborn.
Declined March 14, 1865
John S. Emerson.
Mustered out July 29, 1865
Ass't Surgeons — A. W. Shepherd.
Mustered out July 29, 1865
Thomas R. Clement.
Declined March 28, 1805.
Chaplain — Anthony C. Hardy, of Croydon.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Sergeant Majors — Willis G. C. Kimball, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 24, 1865.
Leonard H. Wheeler, of Sutton.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Quartermaster Sergeant — Sam'l 1ST. Brown, of Concord.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Commissary Sergeant — Henry L. Harris, of Concord.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Hospital Steward — Frank H. Newman, of Hillsborough.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Principal Musicians — Nathan W. Gove, of Concord.
Mustered out June 10, 18G5.
William S. Mudgett, of Weare.
Mustered out June 10, 1866.
540 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
COMPANY OFFICERS. *
Co. A — Captains — Aivah K. Potter, of Concord.
Promoted to Major April 4, 1865.
Augustus B. Farmer, of Warner.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Augustus B. Farmer, of Warner.
Promoted to Captain April 4, 1865.
Hiram K. Ladd, of Haverhill.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Hiram 3L Ladd, of Haverhill.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 4, 1865.
Joseph H. Cram, of Deerfield.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. B. — Captain — Elias F. Smith, of Lebanon.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieut. — Reuben B. Porter, of Sutton.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieut. — Charles L. Porter, of Lyme.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. C. — Captain — John 0. Wallingford, of Dover.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieut. — Samuel S. Caswell, of Strafford.
Promoted to Adjutant May 19, 1865.
Second Lieut. — Wilson Gray, of Strafford.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. D. — Captain — William S. Greenough, of Chester.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieut. — William A. Haven, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieut. — John Underbill, of Chester.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. E. — Captain — William A. Gild, of Franklin.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
First Lieut. — David C. Harriman, of Warner.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — George II. Thorn, of Conway.
Resigned March 13, 1865.
George S. Whitney, of Thornton.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. F — Captain — G. W. Bosworth, of Lyndeborough.
Mustered out June 10, 1865
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT. 541
First Lieuts. — Samuel II. Dow, of Campion.
Honorably discharged March 13, 1865.
Oliver A. Gibbs, of Dover.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Oliver A. Gibbs, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. April 12, 1865.
Henry P. Gage, of Orford.
Mustered out June 10, 1865.
Co. G.— Captain— Willis G. C. Kimball, of Concord.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
First Lieut. — Clarion H. Kimball, of Hopkinton.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Second Lieut. — Thos. F. Dodge, of Londonderry.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Co. H. Captain — Silas F. Leonard, of Chester.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
First Lieuts. — W. Perkins, of Londonderry.
Mustered out July'29, 1865.
Second Lieut. — Robert K. Flanders, of Concord.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Co. I. — Captain — Benj. B. Thompson, of Wolfeborongh.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
First Lieut. — Fred L. Dodge, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out July 29, 1865.
Second Lieut— E. K White, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged July 3, 1865.
Co. K. — Captain — John A. Colby, of Concord.
Mustered out May 6, 1865.
First Lieut. — Henry S. Brown, of Concord.
Mustered out May 6, 1865.
Second Lieut. — Edward Nettleton, of Newport,
Mustered out May 6, 1865.
The six first companies of the Eighteenth Regiment
went to City Point, arid were assigned to General Ben-
ham's engineer brigade. For several weeks they were
employed on the impregnable fortifications which sur
rounded General Grant's base of supplies, and on a
corduroy road built to connect City Point with the
Army of the James. On the 10th of December the
brigade moved to the front near Petersburg, but return
ed to its old quarters on the 13th. On the 18th this
542 THE ORE A T REBELLION.
regiment, with enough from others to make the number
up to twelve hundred men, was organized as a provis
ional brigade, under the command of Lieut. Colonel
Clough, who reported, in pursuance of orders, to
General Ferrero, commanding defenses of Bermuda
Hundred, where in the capacity of engineers they la
bored nearly two weeks, strengthening the fortifications
in the immediate proximity of the enemy. At the
expiration of this time the detail returned to City Point.
On the 19th of March the Eighteenth was detached
from the engineer brigade and reported to Major Gen
eral Parke, commanding the Mnth Corps. On the 25th
the enemy made his celebrated assault on Fort Stead-
man, which resulted in its capture. The Eighteenth
was engaged in the re-capture of the fort, and was then
assigned to the first division of the corps, commanded
by General Wilcox, and by him assigned to the third
brigade, and placed in Fort Steadman, a position, which,
owing to its proximity to the rebel lines, was both
important and dangerous. A constant fire was kept up
by the pickets on both sides, and artillery duels were of
frequent occurrence.
On the night of the 29th the enemy again attacked
the fort, and a short engagement followed, with a
heavy fire of both musketry and artillery on both sides.
The rebels were, however, quickly repulsed by the
Eighteenth. Major Brown, who was much respected
and loved, was killed in the action. Lieut. Colonel
Clough was slightly wounded; several enlisted men
were killed and wounded, though the casualties were
rendered light by the protection of the works.
On the morning of the 2d of April, the Ninth Corps,
holding the wrorks directly in front of Petersburg, Gen
eral Wilcox's division was ordered to assault the works,
and while the proper disposition of the troops was being
made, Captain "W. S. Greenough and several men of
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT. 543
the Eighteenth were severely wounded. The order for
attack was countermanded. In a skirmish in the after
noon the regiment lost one man killed, three danger
ously and several slightly wounded. On the 3d, the
Eighteenth, with its division, entered the city of Peters
burg. On the 5th the Mnth Corps moved to the South
Side Railroad. The first division remained near Ford's
Station until the 20th. While here Colonel Livermore
joined the regiment and assumed command. The regi
ment was ordered to Alexandria, where it arrived on
the 26th, and thence marched through "Washington and
went into camp on Georgetown Heights. It was on
guard duty in Washington during the trial of the assas
sins of President Lincoln.
On the 10th of June the original six companies which
had been first mustered into service, were mustered out,
and arrived in Concord on the 13th, where they were at
once discharged. Company K had already been dis
charged at Galloupe's Island. The remaining three
companies were put on provost guard duty in George
town, under command of Major Potter, Colonel Liver-
more and Lieut. Colonel dough having been detailed
on a general court-marshal. On the 15th Colonel Liver-
more was assigned to the command of the third brigade
of the division, and on the 23d both he and Major
Potter were mustered out of service, leaving the rem
nant of the regiment in command of Lieut. Colonel
dough. On the 29th of July these too were mustered
out of service, and arrived in Concord on the 2d of
August, receiving final discharge and pay on the 8th.
By order of the War Department, the names of the
following engagements were placed upon the colors of
the regiment:
Fort Steadman, March 25, 1865.
Attack on Petersburg, April 2, 1865.
Capture of Petersburg, April 3, 1865.
544 THE ORE A T REBELLION.
FIRST NEW HAMPSHIRE CAVALRY.
The First Kegiment of New Hampshire Cavalry was
raised in the spring of 1864. Four companies of the
regiment were veteran companies of the First Rhode
Island Cavalry, but raised in New Hampshire in the fall
of 1861. The Governors of the six New England States
were authorized by the War Department to raise a regi
ment, to be called the First New England Cavalry, to be
composed of twelve companies — two from each State.
All the States except New Hampshire and Rhode Island,
subsequently raised each a full regiment, while New
Hampshire raised four, and Rhode Island eight compa
nies. These twelve companies were united and formed
the New England Cavalry. The four New Hampshire
companies formed a battalion, commanded by Major
David B. Nelson, of Manchester. It was mustered into
the United States service at Concord in the fall and
winter of 1861, where it remained until the 22d of
December, when it was ordered to Pawtucket, Rhode
Island, where it joined the other companies of the regi
ment, and went into camp. The following were the
field, staff and company officers of this battalion, with
the official record of each :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
Majors — David B. Nelson, of Manchester.
Resigned June 3, 1862,
John L. Thompson, of Plymouth.
Promoted to Colonel 1st N. H. Cavalry, March 17, 1864
Adjutant — George T. Cram, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Co. G. 1st N. H. Cavalry, July 15, 1864.
FIRST CA VALE Y. 545
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Troop I — Captain — David B. Nelson, of Manchester.
Promoted to Major Dec. 3, 1861.
John L. Thompson, of Plymouth.
Promoted to Major July 3, 18G2.
First Lieuts. — John L. Thompson, of Plymouth.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 3, 1861.
George T. Cram, of Manchester.
Promoted to Adjutant Dec. 10, 1861.
Arnold Wyman, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain August 4, 1862.
Second Lieuts. — George T. Cram, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 3, 1861.
Frank Allen, of Nashua.
Promoted to First Lieut. July 15, 1862.
Troop K. — Captain — Stephen R. Swett, of Andover.
Resigned Oct. 13, 1862.
First Lieut. — Lorenzo D. Gove, of Hanover.
Killed Oct. 13, 1862.
Second Lieuts. — George A. Sawyer, of Concord.
Resigned Nov. 11, 1861.
George H. Thompson, of Concord.
Promoted to First Lieut Aug. 4, 1862. Wounded severely March 17, 1863.
Troop L. — Captain — John J. Prentiss, of Claremont.
Dismissed Dec. 30, 1863.
First Lieut. — Augustus II. Bixhy, of Francestown.
Promoted to Captain July 18, 1862.
Second Lieut. — "Win. P. Prentiss, of Claremont.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 4, 1862.
Troop M. — Captain — William P. Ainsworth, of Nashua.
Killed at Front Royal, Va., May 30, 1862.
First Lieut. — Joseph F. Andrews, of Nashua.
Promoted to Quartermaster, Jan. 1, 1862.
Second Lieut. — John L. Perley, Jr., of Laconia.
Died of disease at Catlet's Station, Va., June 9, 1862.
On the 14th of March, 1862, the regiment was ordered
to "Washington, where it joined the Army of the Poto
mac. While at Washington the name of the regiment
was changed from the First New England Cavalry to
the First Rhode Island Cavalry, thus, so far as the name
might indicate, cutting the four New Hampshire com-
546 THE GREAT REBELLION.
panics off from all identity with their State. This was
a severe blow to the men from which* they never fully
recovered while they remained with that organization.
As a consequence of this change of name the Governor
of New Hampshire refused to send the battalion recruits
when needed to fill its ranks.
In May the New Hampshire battalion was ordered to
Fredericksburg to report to General Shields, thus sepa
rating them from the Rhode Island portion of the regi
ment. This was highly satisfactory to the New Hamp
shire men. On the 30th of May, in a charge upon the
retreating column of the enemy, who were burning
bridges after them, the battalion showed great dash and
courage. The enemy's cavalry, which attempted to act
as a rear guard, ingloriously rode down their own infan
try and escaped. Coming upon the enemy's infantry
some were sabered, but most surrendered as soon
as they were reached. The enemy made a stand at a
narrow gorge, with a brook running through it, the
bridge over which could only be crossed by file, and so
posted themselves that they had complete range of the
brook. Captain Ainsworth and about a dozen men boldly
dashed down the hill to cross the bridge. They were
all either killed or seriously wounded. Captain Ains
worth and seven men were killed, and ten were more or
less seriously wounded. There were captured from the
enemy more than one hundred and fifty officers and
men, besides baggage wagons, horses, stores, and imple
ments of war of all kinds in great numbers. Only the
cavalry and a small remnant of a regiment of infantry
escaped. This was the battalion's first engagement, and
was such a victory as surprised even those who had
accomplished it. Immediately after the action at Front
Royal Major Nelson resigned, and the command devolv
ed on Captain Thompson. The battalion was rejoined
by the rest of the regiment on the first of June.
FIRST CA VALE Y. 547
The regiment was at Bull Run on the 29th of August,
and took part in the second battle there on the 30th.
"When the retreat commenced it took the rear and saved
the army. The regiment participated in the battle of
Chantilly, on the 1st of September, and had almost
daily skirmishes with the enemy all through General
Pope's campaign. A picket post, stationed at Mouut-
ville, five miles from any support, composed of part of
Companies I and M, under command of Captain Gove,
was attacked October 31, by a whole brigade of cavalry
under General Stuart, and a large number killed and
captured. Captain Gove and several men were killed,
and Lieut. Andrews and about twenty-five men were
captured.
When general Hooker assumed command of the
army, the cavalry was organized in one corps, under
command of General Stoneman. The battle of Kelley's
Ford was perhaps the first real cavalry battle of the war.
The enemy charged that part of the line wrhere the First
Rhode Island Cavalry was posted. The charge was
brilliantly executed, but promptly met and repulsed.
There was a short but severe conflict, and the enemy
retreated, leaving many prisoners in the hands of the
Union troops. The regiment took part in the celebrated
Stoneman raid, and with that exception remained in
camp near Falmouth until the 25th of March, 1863.
In June the regiment, numbering but about three
hundred men — the New Hampshire battalion about one
hundred — while in camp in a grove near Middleburg, on
the road from Fairfax Court House to the Blue Ridge,
was surrounded by a strong force of the enemy. They
must surrender or fight, and they determined upon the
latter. They charged through the enemy's line, but many
were killed and captured. That night there were not
fifty men together belonging to the First Rhode Island
Cavalry, except in the hands of the enemy. Subse-
548 THE GREAT REBELLION.
quently a few men found their way to headquarters, but
New Hampshire was represented by* less than thirty
men. General Duffie, who had been in command of the
regiment about a year, was promoted to Brigadier Gen
eral, and was succeeded by Lieut. Colonel Thompson.
The sick and those who were on detached service re
turned, and in July the regiment numbered about two
hundred and fifty effective men. During the autumn
it was engaged in the battles of Auburn and Bristoe
Station, and in all the operations of the Army of 'the
Potomac.
FIRST NEW HAMPSHIRE CAVALRY.
In January, 1864, the New Hampshire battalion was
detached from the regiment, with a view to forming a
new regiment exclusively of New Hampshire men.
Nearly all the men re-enlisted, and in February left the
army for home on their veteran furlough, and to form
the First New Hampshire Cavalry. Before the close of
April the four old companies had been filled to the max
imum, and three new ones had been completed and
mustered into service, and proceeded to Washington,
where they arrived on the 25th. The regiment was not
completed until July, when the five remaining compa
nies were sent to Washington. The regimental organi
zation was as follows:
COLONEL — John L. Thompson, of Plymouth.
Appointed Brigadier General U. S. Vols.. by brevet, for distinguished and
meritorious services, to date from March 13, 1865. Mustered out as Colonel
July 15, 1865.
Lieut. Colonel — Benjamin T. Hutching, of Concord.*
Majors — Arnold Wyman, of Manchester.
Joseph F. Arnold, of Nashua.
John A. Cummings, of Peterborough.
Quartermaster — George W. Towle, of Hooksett.
* Uuless otherwise stated the record is— "Mustered out July 15, 1865."
FIRST CA VALR Y. 549
Commissary — William II. Moulton, of Andover.
Surgeon — George W. Pierce, of Winchester.
Assistant Surgeons — George W. Pierce, of Winchester.
Wounded in five places and captured Nov. 12, 1864. Released Jan. 14, 1865.
Promoted to Surgeon Feb. 17, 1865.
Frederick A. Eldridge, of Milford.
Sergeant Major — Walter Perley, of Concord.
Quartermaster Sergeant — M. B. Clough, of Deering.
Commissary Sergeant — John C. Caryl, of Brookfield.
Hospital Steward — Daniel S. Mooney, of New Hampton.
Mustered out May 29, 1865.
Veterinary Surgeon — Charles B. Prentiss, of Concord.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Troop A. — Captain — Edwin "Vaughan, of Claremont.
Honorably discharged May 15, 1865.
First Lieuts. — George W. Estabrook, of Concord.
Wounded severely Sept. 29, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 4, 1865.
John Steele, of Goifstown.
Second Lieut. — Geo. W. Morrison, of Haverhill.
Missing near Lacy Springs, Va., Dec. 21, 1864. Gained from missing.
Mustered out July 15, 1865.
Troop B. — Captain — Otis C. Wyatt, of Sanbornton.
First Lieut. — Edward P. Abbott, of Manchester.
Wounded June 23, 1864. Absent on detached service at Elmira, N. T.,
July 15, 1865. No discharge furnished.
Second Lieuts. — John Steele, of Goffstown.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 23, 1865.
John S. Cilley, of Andover.
Troop C. — Captain — Pierce L. Wiggin, of Ossipee.
First Lieut. — William H. Palmer, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Feb. 23, 1865.
Second Lieut.- — John P. Thompson, of Andover.
Troop D. — Captain — Ezra B. Parker, of Littleton.
Absent on detached service at Annapolis, Md., July 15, 1865. No discharge
furnished.
First Lieut. — Fred P. Stone, of Webster.
Second Lieut. — Chas. H. Kelley, of Farmington.
Resigned Jan. 19, 1865.
Troop E. — Captain — Benjamin F. Rackley, of Dover.
First Lieut. — Charles E. Patrick, of Claremont.
550 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Second Lieut. — W. Tuttle, of Newmarket.
Troop F. — Captain— Nathaniel II. BroVn, of Deny.
First Lieut. — George H. Smith, of Farmington.
Second Lieut. — Horatio Mclntire, of Keene.
Dismissed Feb. 15, 1865
Troop G. — Captain — George T. Cram, of Meredith.
First Lieut. — George E. Gilman, of Meredith.
Discharged
Second Lieut. — Oscar J. Converse, of Rindge.
Troop H. — Charles E. Patrick, of Claremont.
Not mustered. Mustered out as First Lieut. July 15, 1865
First Lieut. — Frank P. Cram, of Hampton Falls.
Second Lieut. — George H. Pressey, of Sutton.
Honorably discharged March 17, 1865
Troop I. — Captains — A. H. Bixhy, of Francestown.
Commissioned by the Governor of Rhode Island. Honorably discharged on
account of wounds Nov. 9, 1864.
George II. Thompson, of Concord.
Not mustered. Promoted to Major 5th U. S. Vols., March 27, 1865.
William H. Palmer, of Manchester.
First Lieuts — William II. Moulton, of Andover.
Promoted to Commissary Jan. 25, 1865.
Thomas C. Edwards, of Keene.
Second Lieut. — Thomas C. Edwards, of Keene.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 23, 1865.
Troop K. — Captains — Wm. P. Prentiss, of Claremont.
Mustered out Jan. 18, 1865.
George A. Bobbins, of Hillsborough.
First Lieuts. — George H. Thompson, of Concord.
Commissioned by the Governor of Rhode Island. Promoted to Captain
Dec. 17, 1864.
Frank P. Flynn, of Lebanon.
Second Lieut. — Frank P. Flynn, of Lebanon.
Promoted "to First Lieut. Feb. 23, 1865.
Troop L. — First Lieuts. — G. A. Robbins, of Hillsborough.
Mustered out Dec. 17, 1864.
Philip Jones, of Somersworth.
Second Lieut. — Robert Campbell, of Sutton.
Killed at White Oak Swamp, Va., June 13, 1864.
Troop M.— Captains— George H. Rhodes.
Commissioned by the Governor of Rhode Island. Discharged for disability
Nov. 10, 1864.
FIRST CA VALE Y. 551
Henry B. Haley, of Newmarket.
Honorably discharged March 30, 1865.
First Lieut. — Robert P. Shapley, of Rye.
Died of disease at Darnstown, Md., June 2, 1865.
Second Lieut. — Henry B. Haley, of Xewmarket.
Promoted "to Captain Jan. 16, 1865.
The First New Hampshire Cavalry was attached to
the third division of the cavalry corps, General Wil
son commanding. In an engagement near White Oak
Swarm, on the 13th of June, 1864, Lieut. Campbell and
several -men were killed, and many wounded. For the
conduct of the regiment on this occasion, and in cover
ing the movement of the army across thevlames, it was
highly commended by the lieutenant general command
ing.
WILSON'S RAID.
On the morning of the 21st of June, at an early hour,
the cavalry were ordered to prepare for a long march.
The regiment with its division was joined at Jerusalem
Plank Road by General Kautz's cavalry command from
the Army of the James, the whole under command of
General Wilson ; a force of nine thousand sabers, twelve
guns, and six mounted howitzers. The command cross
ed the Weldon Railroad at Ream's Station, destroyed
the track for several miles, and then moved rapidly to
the South Side Railroad, where they burned bridges and
destroyed several miles of track. ISTear Nottaway Court
House they were attacked by a cavalry division of the
enemy under Fitz Hugh Lee, and after a severe fight,
killing and wounding more than one hundred and fifty
of the enemy, they retreated in confusion. At Stony
Creek Station, on the Weldon Railroad, they met a
largely superior force of the enemy, consisting of infan
try cavalry and artillery, which had been detached from
Lee's army for the purpose of intercepting them.
552 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Wilson's command retired to Ream's Station, where the
enemy was met in still larger force, atid it became evi
dent that the design was to capture the whole party,
which had destroyed their railroad. So perilous had
the position of the command become that 'General
Wilson determined to abandon his wounded, destroy his
caissons, limbers, and ammunition wagons, and attempt
to cut his way through. After a desperate fight a por
tion of the command escaped, but the enemy captured
all the artillery and compelled the retreat of the remain
der of the cavalry. Arriving at City Point, orders were
issued to dismount all the cavalry regiments recruited
since a certain date, which included this regiment, and
convert them into infantry; but on the representation by
General Wilson of its good discipline and effectiveness,
the First New Hampshire was excepted. This famous
raid was seldom equalled during the war, either in its
hardships or results. Eighty miles of railroad track,
four locomotives, two trains of cars, large quantities of
tobacco and cotton were destroyed, twenty-five hundred
contrabands and a great number of horses and mules
brought into the Union lines, and the communication of
Lee's army with the south completely cut off for a
month. In this raid the regiment suffered a loss of one
officer and seventy men, killed, wounded or missing.
All through the summer and fall of 1864 the New
Hampshire Cavalry was continually active in co-oper
ating with the Army of the Potomac, with its division,
by itself and by detachments, on raids, skirmishing and
performing long, hasty, and tedious marches to points
where its services were required — gaining for itself a
high reputation for discipline and efficiency, and reflect
ing honor upon the State.
The army lay at Winchester, in winter quarters, until
the last of February, 1865, little of importance occur
ring. On the 18th of December, in an expedition up
FIRST CAVALRY. 553
the valley, the division was attacked at night, and in
the confusion Lieut. Colonel Hut chins and several others
were captured. Later in the winter fifty picked men,
under Lieuts. Palmer and Jones, took part in the raid
which resulted in the capture of Harry Gilmor, the
noted guerrilla.
On the 26th of February General Sheridan, with the
two divisions of Cavalry commanded respectively by
Generals Custar and Merritt, started on the raid on
which he reached Richmond, after capturing the rem
nants of Early 's army, and destroying railroads and the
James River canal. The Twenty-second New York
was joined with the First New Hampshire, under com
mand of Colonel Thompson, both regiments being
reduced in numbers, and acting as a single regiment.
On the fourth day the command reached Waynes-
borough, a small village about twelve miles south of
Staunton, on the railroad leading to Gordonsville. The
enemy was found strongly posted on the ridge at the
entrance to the village, in rifle-pits, and having many
guns in position in earthworks. Two regiments were
dismounted and sent to make a demonstration on the
enemy's left, while the First New Hampshire and two
others were kept in front, mounted for a charge. At
the signal for the charge Colonel Thompson's command
took the front, followed by the Eighth New York and
First Vermont. The men rode up to the rifle-pits, leap
ed their horses over the works, and with their sabers
alone captured about fifteen hundred prisoners, all the
artillery, wagons, other property, and the colors of
every regiment and detachment engaged. The rebel
army was entirely demolished. The prisoners were
taken to Winchester by Colonel Thompson, with a
guard of seven small regiments, including the First
New Hampshire Cavalry, numbering about six hundred,
and a few dismounted men. This was a responsible
554 THE GREAT REBELLION.
duty, his rear being continually threatened and several
times attacked by the enemy. It Was accomplished,
however, without the loss of a prisoner, but on the con
trary having materially increased their number by
captures.
The five companies unorganized when the seven first
ones left the State, were largely composed of substitutes,
and others who enlisted for the heavy bounties offered,
many of whom deserted on the way and after reaching
the regiment. They did not join the regiment until
March, 1865, but were kept on detached duty. The
regiment was mustered out of service on the 29th of
June, arrived at Concord on the 16th of July, and on
the 21st was paid and discharged.
LIGHT BA TIER Y. 555
NEW HAMPSHIRE LIGHT BATTERY.
The first and only light battery sent to the war from
New Hampshire was organized at Manchester in the
autumn of 1861. It was mustered into the United
States service on the 26th of September. The following
were its officers, and their official record :
Captains — George A. Gerrish, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged March 7, 1863.
Frederick M. Edgell, of Orford.
Promoted to Major 1st Regt. N. H. Heavy Artillery Nov. 10, 1864.
George K. Dakin, of Manchester.
See 12th Company Heavy Artillery.
First Lieuts. — Edwin H. Hobbs, of Manchester.
Mustered out June 22, 1863.
Frederick M. Edgell, of Orford.
Promoted to Captain March 8, 1863.
John "Wadleigh, of Orford.
Discharged to accept promotion April 3, 1864.
"William N. Chamberlain, of Orford.
Mustered out Oct. 6, 1864.
Gilman Stearns, of Orford.
Mustered out Oct. 5, 1864.
George K. Dakin, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 3, 1864.
Ephraim Fiske, of Manchester.
See 12th Company Heavy Artillery.
Ezra D. Cilley, of Manchester.
See 12th Company Heavy Artillery.
Second Lieuts. — John Wadleigh, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut March 8, 1863.
Henry F. Condict, of Manchester.
Resigned June 2, 1863.
John R. Piper, of Manchester.
Mustered out Sept. 23, 1864
Orrin Taber, of Manchester.
Mustered out Oct 7, 1864.
556 THE GREA T REBELLION.
John E. Bean, of Manchester.
See 12th Company Heavy Artillery
Asa D. Gilmore, of Concord.
See 12th Company Heavy Artillery
On the 1st of November this company proceeded to
Washington, completely armed and equipped as a six
gun battery. It was assigned to the first Division of the
Army of the Potomac, Major General McDowell com
manding, and maved to Munson's Hill, Virginia. The
Battery was with its division in the advance upon
Manassas, on the 10th of March, 1862, and occupied the
City of Fredericksburg on the 18th of April. On the
9th of August it marched with its division to join Gen
eral Pope at Culpeper Court House, and arrived at
Cedar Mountain on the llth, two days after the battle
at that place. On the retreat of General Pope's com
mand, the Battery was engaged with the enemy at
Rappahannock station on the 22d of August, at Sul
phur Springs on the 26th, and reached the battle ground
of Bull Run on the 29th. Toward evening a reconnoi-
tering force, consisting of the brigade of General Hatch,
the First New Hampshire Battery and a few cavalry
troops was sent down the Warrenton road; met the
enemy in force near Groveton, and after a short but
severe engagement was repulsed. The Battery lost in
this action two men killed ; Lieut. "Wadleigh and several
men severely wounded; Captain Gerrish -and ten men
taken prisoners, and one gun captured by the enemy.
The Battery was engaged in the action at Antietam
on the 17th of September, in the corps of General
Hooker. It commenced the action on the extreme
right, at daylight, and rendered efficient service in differ
ent parts of the field during the entire day. It had
only a few men wounded and a few horses killed and
disabled. Captain Gerrish and Lieut. Wadleigh rejoin
ed the Battery on the 5th of November, and it proceeded
LIGHT BA TTER Y. 557
to Aqua Creek, Ya. It took active part in the battle of
Fredericksburg, on the 13th of December. It moved
to its position in the line of battle, which was on the
extreme left of Keyn olds' Corps of Franklin's Grand
Division, early in the morning. Here it soon became
engaged with the batteries of the enemy, and continued
fighting until dark. It lost three men killed, fifteen
wounded, and about twenty horses killed and disabled.
Captain Gerrish, then acting Chief of Artillery of First
Division, was \vounded early in the action and taken
from the field. A few days later it went into winter
quarters at Pratt's Landing, on Potomac Creek.
In March, 1863, Captain Gerrish, being still disabled
by his wound, resigned his command. The Battery
moved with its corps toward the Rappahannock, below
Fredericksburg, and was there engaged with the enemy
on the 29th and 30th of April and 2d of May. It was
afterward engaged at Chancellorsville, on the 4th 'and 5th
of May, sustaining small loss. In May it was transferred
from the First Corps to the Artillery Reserve. The
Battery with the Reserve Artillery, arrived at Gettys
burg early on the morning of the 2d of July, and was
put in position on Cemetery Hill, which post it main
tained until noon on the 4th, doing excellent service,
especially in assisting to repel the furious assaults of
the enemy on the 3d. Although exposed for many
hours to a destructive fire, it had but three men
wounded, and sustained but a small loss in horses and
material.
On the 15th of October the battery was assigned to
the Third Army Corps, and joined the command at
Union Mills on the same day. On the 8th of November
it was engaged in a sharp skirmish with the enemy at
Brandy Station, and again at Mine Run on the 30th.
It subsequently went into winter quarters at Brandy
Station.
558 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
In the Spring of 1864, the Battery was assigned to
the Second Army Corps, Major General Hancock com
manding, and joined it at Stevensburg, Va., on the 19th
of April. It was engaged with the enemy at the battle
of the Wilderness, on the 6th of May, and with the
Sixth Maine Battery, was posted in one of the few
places accessible to artillery, and withstood the shock
of the charging columns of Longstreet's Corps, and
drove back the enemy with severe loss. It sustained
no loss except a few horses killed and disabled. It was
engaged at Po Eiver on the 9th, 10th and llth, where
one officer and two men were severely wounded, others
slightly, and four or five horses killed or disabled. It
was engaged at Spottsylvania, fighting on the 14th and
18th of May, without loss. At North Anna River on
the 23d, it supported the advance of Birney's Division,
which succeeded in carrying the bridge and in effecting
a crossing.
At Cold Harbor the battery fought again on the 3d
and 5th of June, having two men wounded and two
horses killed. It arrived at Petersburg on the 16th and
was immediately placed- in position for battle, and during
this and the succeeding four days was sharply engaged,
having two men severely wounded. Up to the 30th
of June, in the campaign of that year, it had marched
one hundred and fifty miles, and been eighteen days
engaged in action with the enemy.
On the 27th of July, at Deep Bottom, the Battery
engaged a battery of the enemy which was greatly
annoying the Union troops, and in less than thirty min
utes the hostile battery was completely silenced, its men
driven from their guns, and one of its limbers exploded.
The only loss to the New Hampshire Battery was two
horses killed, and a caisson disabled. It again returned
to the front of Petersburg, arriving there on the morn
ing of the 30th, ready to take part in the assault of that
LIGHT BA TTER Y. 559
day. From the 20th to the 30th of August it was
almost every day engaged, during which time it lost one
man killed and two severely wounded by the enemy's
sharpshooters. It was now removed to Fort Hill, where
it remained until the 7th of September, and was then
placed on the front line of Battery No. 13, where it
remained until the 22d of October, being almost con
stantly engaged. From July 1st to October 22d, the
Battery had been twenty days engaged with the enemy.
On the 25th of September, its first term of enlist
ment having expired, fifty-nine men of the original
number, who had not re-enlisted, were mustered out of
service, together with four officers. By an order from
the War Department, on the 5th of November, this
organization was transferred to the First Regiment of
New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, with the designation
of Battery M, but guarantied to remain detached as a
Light Battery in the field. Perhaps no organization
from this State rendered more faithful and valuable ser
vice to the country, or made for itself a more honorable
record, than the First New Hampshire Battery, in the
three years of its existence.
560 THE GEE A T REBELLION.
FIRST HEAVY ARTILLERY.
In April, 1863, the War Department granted special
authority to raise in New Hampshire a company of
Heavy Artillery, to garrison the defenses of Portsmouth
harbor, and on the 17th of that month Charles H. Long,
late Lieut. Colonel of the Seventeenth Regiment —
which was not mustered into the United States service —
was commissioned Captain. The organization was com
pleted and the company was mustered into the service
on the 22d of July, 1863, and stationed at Fort Consti
tution.
On the 18th of August, 1863, Ira McL. Barton, for
merly a Captain in the Fifth Regiment, was commission
ed Captain of a second company, raised under similar
authority and for similar purposes as the first. It was
mustered into the United States service on the 17th of
September, and was stationed at Fort McClary, Kittery
Point.
These companies remained at their respective posts
until May, 1864. During this time the first company
made many improvements in Fort Constitution, build
ing a long set of quarters for the men. The second
company, stationed at Fort McClary, upon the Quarter
master's purchasing the lumber, built, without any
assistance, one of the finest hospitals belonging to the
United States on the New England coast. On the 6th
of May, both companies, under orders from Major Gen
eral Dix reported to General Augur, commanding the
Department of Washington, and were assigned for duty
in the defenses of that city. Company A furnished
men for garrison duty at Forts Slocum, Stevens, Totten,
HEAVY ARTILLERY. 561
Sumner, and Batteries Parrott, Cameron, Kendall, and
Vermont. Company B was sent as a relieving and
occupying force into ten different forts, among them
Forts Bunker Hill, Saratoga, Lincoln, Bayard, Gaines,
and Foote, at which last important work they were
stationed as a permanent garrison. Company A was
stationed in the defenses north of the city, and assisted
in defeating Early in his raid on Washington — Captain
Long being in command of a Provisional Battalion of
four hundred men.
In August, 1864, Captain Ira McL. Barton made appli
cation to the Secretary of War, through Governor Joseph
A. Gilmore, of , New Hampshire, for leave to raise a
battalion of at least four companies of Heavy Artillery,
which was granted on the 19th of August. Captain
Barton was placed on recruiting service by the War
Department, and returning to New Hampshire, took
charge of the organization of the companies, under
Adjutant General Natt Head. In the meantime a third
company had been started, and was quickly raised by
Captain J. 0. Chandler, of Manchester. The four
additional companies authorized by the War Depart
ment were very soon filled. One at Dover, by Captain
George W. Colbath; one at Concord, by Captain R. S.
Davis; one at Nashua, by Captain D. J. Flanders, and
one at Laconia, by Captain A. S. Libby. Recruits came
in so rapidly that the four companies authorized were
soon more than filled, and Adjutant General Head
obtained authority to raise other companies. One was
raised at Newport by Captain C. C. Shattuck, and
another at Lancaster, by Captain Charles 0. Bradley,
while a third was organized from a ninety days' com
pany at Fort Constitution, and a fourth from general
volunteers at Concord, the former under Captain
George C. Houghton, and the latter under Captain R. E.
Welch.
562 THE GREAT REBELLION.
The companies were ordered to "Washington as fast as
they were organized, and were assigned to duty under
the direction of Major General Augur. Ten companies
having been organized, and the eleventh having been
commenced, authority was given to complete the regi
mental organization. The Governor commissioned
Captain Long as Colonel, and Captain Barton as Lieut.
Colonel. Lieut. Colonel Barton was immediately mus
tered, and was relieved from duty in New Hampshire
by Colonel Long, who undertook the completion of the
regiment. It being found impossible to raise the twelfth
company, which was necessary to fully complete the
regimental organization, and to admit of the muster of
Colonel Long, the New Hampshire Light Battery was
assigned to the regiment, and on the 16th of November
Colonel Long was mustered and assumed command.
The following is a list of the field, staff and company
officers, and the official record of each :
FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS.
COLONEL — Charles II. Long, of Clarmont.*
Lieut. Colonel — Ira McL. Barton, of Newport.
Majors — George A. Wainwright, of Hanover.
Dexter G. Reed, of Newport.
Frederick M. Edgell, of Orford.
Surgeon — Ezekiel Morrill, of Concord.
Ass't Surgeons — R. W. Price, of Seabrook.
Amos S. Bixby, of Acworth.
Chaplain— C. W. Walker, of Stratford.
Sergeant Major — Norman A. Tuttle, of Keene.
Quartermaster Sergeant — S. D. Hill, of Manchester.
Commissary Sergeant — Wm. D. Haley, of Tuftonboro'.
Hospital Stewards — Sam. Nims, of Newport.
Principal Musicians — Hiram S. Clifford, of Alexandria.
John II. Caswell, of Concord.
*Unle88 otherwise stated, the record is " Mustered out June 15, 1865."
HE A VY ARTILLER Y. 663
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Co. A.— Captains— Charles H. Long, of Claremont.
Promoted to Colonel Sept. 29, 1864.
Benjamin F. Wells, of Lisbon.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
First Lieuts.— Geo. A. Wainwright, of Hanover.
Promoted to Major, Sept. 29, 1864.
Benjamin F. "Wells, of Lisbon.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 9, 1864.
Frank G. Wentworth, of Lee.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
Christopher W. Harold, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Benjamin F. Wells, of Lisbon.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 10, 1863.
Christopher W. Harold, of Portsmouth.
Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 9, 1864.
Frank G. Wentworth, of Lee.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 29, 1864.
Clarence S. Grey, of Portsmouth.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
Walter S. Bailey, of Lancaster.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
Co. B. — Captains — Ira McL. Barton, of Newport.
Promoted to Lieut. Colonel Sept. 29, 1864.
George P. Thyng, of Gilford.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
First Lieuts. — Dexter G. Reed, of Newport.
Promoted to Major Sept. 29, 1864.
Samuel Webster, of Dover.
Died Feb. 3, 1864.
George P. Thyng, of Gilford.
^Promoted to Captain Sept. 29, 1864.
Lucius H. Bus well, of Grantham.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
Haskell P. Coffin, of Londonderry.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Thos. J. Whittle, of Manchester.
Honorably discharged June 11, 1864.
George P. Thyng, of Gilford.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 4, 1864.
Lucius A. Buswell, of Grantham.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 29, 1864.
564 THE ORE A T REBELLION.
Alexander V. Hitchcock, of Newport.
Honorably disqharged July 29, 1864.
Haskell P. Coffin, of Londonderry.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 29, 1864.
Joseph Mills, of Great Falls.
Honorably discharged June 8, 1865.
Albert Miner, of Croydon.
Mustered out Sept. 11, 1865.
Co. C. — Captain — James 0. Chandler, of Manchester.
First Lieuts. — James R. Carr, of Manchester.
James G. Burns, of Manchester.
Second Lieuts. — James G. Burns, of Manchester.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 8, 1864.
Moses 0. Pearson, of Manchester.
Reuben Dodge, of Manchester.
Co. D. — Captain — George W. Colbath, of Dover.
First Lieuts. — Wm. S. Pillsbury, of Londonderry.
William F. Thayer, of Dover.
Second Lieuts. — William F. Thayer, of Dover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Sept. 12, 1864.
Joseph T. S. Libby, of Dover.
Moses P. Moulton, of Dover.
Honorably discharged Feb. 15, 1865.
Joseph II. Flagg, of Kingston.
Co. E. — Captain — Robert S. Davis, of Concord.
First Lieuts. — Joseph C. Clifford, of Salisbury.
Plumer D. Watson, of Northwood.
Second Lieuts. — Joseph I. Shallis, of Concord.
Melvin L. Ingalls, of Concord.
Co. F. — Captain — Daniel J. Flanders, of Nashua.
First Lieuts. — Major A. Shaw, of Nashua.
Henry M. Mills, of Nashua.
Second Lieuts. — Milton A. Taylor, of Naslma.
George H. Sears, of Nashua.
Co. G. — Captain — Alvah S. Libby, of Wolfeborough.
First Lieuts. — James H. Swan, of Laconia.
Levi F. Whitney, of Gilford.
Discharged for disability Jan. 20, 1866.
William W. Ballard, of Ilolderness.
SEA VY ARTILLER Y. 565
Second Lieuts. — Wm. W. Ballard, of Holderness.
Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 23, 1865.
George W. Home, of Wolfeborough.
Henry F. Hunt, of Gilford.
Co. H. — Captain — Charles C. Shattuck, of Newport.
First Lieuts. — Clark Edwards, of Landaff.
Truman L. Heath, of Newport.
Second Lieuts. — P. H. Welcome, of Newport.
Albert S. Holland, of Keene.
Co. I. — Captains — Charles 0. Bradley, of Concord.
First Lieuts. — John C. Jen ness, of Lancaster.
William H. ShurtlefF, of Lancaster.
Second Lieuts — Clark Stevens, of Columbia.
Chauncey H. Greene, of Littleton.
Co. K. — Captain — George C. Hough ton, of Manchester.
First Lieuts. — Charles L. Bailey, of Manchester.
John E. Johnson, of Manchester.
Promoted to Captain and A. Q. M. U. S. V., May 11, 1865.
Second Lieut. — H. A. Lawrence, of Manchester.
Edward J. Wing, of Manchester.
Co. L. — Captain — Richard E. Welch, of Concord.
First Lieuts.— Stephen E. Twombly, of Milton.
Paine Durkee, of Croydon.
Second Lieuts. — Wm. C. Mahurin, of Columbia.
George E. Crummett, of Concord.
Co. M. — LIGHT BATTERY.
Captain — George K. Dakin, of Manchester.
First Lieuts. — Ephraim Fisk, of Manchester
Ezra D. Cilley.
Second Lieuts. — John R. Bean.
Asa D. Gilmore, of Concord.
All the officers of this Battery were Mustered out June 9, 1865.
On the 21st of November, 1864, Colonel Long was
assigned to the command of Hardin's division, Twenty-
second Army Corps, and the command of the regiment
devolved upon Lieut. Colonel Barton. On the 25th
566 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Battery A was ordered to Portsmouth harbor, and in
February, 1865, Battery B was ordered "for duty at the
same place. During the winter and until the muster
out of the regiment, it garrisoned a line of works ten
miles in extent, and gained considerable proficiency in
artillery drill.
On the 15th of June, 1865, the regiment was muster
ed out of service, and arrived at Concord on the 19th,
where it received final pay and discharge.
SHARPSHOOTER
SHARPSHOOTERS. 567
SHARPSHOOTERS.
New Hampshire furnished three companies of Sharp
shooters for the army. In the summer of 1861, Colonel
Berdan procured permission from the War Department
to raise a force of Sharpshooters, and a promise that
two thousand Sharpe's rifles should be manufactured
for them. The result was the First and Second Regi
ments of United States Sharpshooters, commonly known
as Berdan's Sharpshooters, of which the three compa
nies from this State formed a part. Colonel Berdan
asked the Governor first for one, and then for two more
companies. The test prescribed by the War Depart
ment for Sharpshooters was: each man must make a
string of ten shots, measuring, in the aggregate, from
center of bull's eye to center of ball, not more than
fifty inches, at a distance of one hundred yards off-hand,
or two hundred yards at a rest. This was the maximum,
but the strings of the men admitted into the first com
pany varied from seven to thirty inches. It was
mustered into the United States service on the 9th of
September, 1861, and left the State [for Weehawken,
"New Jersey, the rendezvous of the first regiment, on the
llth, and was assigned to the first regiment as Company
E. The second company was mustered into service on
the 28th of November, 1861, and the third on the 10th
of December, 1861. Each of these companies consisted
of three officers and ninety-five men. They left the
State for Washington as soon as mustered, and reported
to Colonel Berdan, at Camp of Instruction. They were
assigned to the second regiment as Companies F and Q-.
The following were the officers of all these companies
during their term of service, with the record of each:
568 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Co. E. — Captains — Amos B. Jones, of Washington.
Promoted to Major 2d U. 8. Sharpshooters, Dec. 3, 1861.
William P. Austin, of Claremont.
Wounded Aug. 30, 1862. Discharged on account of wounds May 16, 1863.
William (jr. Andrews, of Warner.
Wounded slightly Aug. 16, 1864. Mustered out Sept. 8, 1864.
First Lieuts. — William P. Austin, of Claremont.
Promoted to Captain Dec. 20, 1861.
William H. Gibbs, of Hanover.
Resigned Aug. 31, 1862.
William G. Andrews, of Warner.
Promoted to Captain Oct. 1, 1863
Samuel D. Monroe, of Washington.
Killed at Kelley's Ford, Va., Nov. 7, 1862
Isaac Davis, of Fisherville.
Wounded severely May 81, 1864. Mustered out Sept. 8, 1864.
Second Lieuts. — William H. Gibbs, of Hanover.
Promoted to First Lieut. Dec. 20, 1861.
Cyrus E. Jones, of Bradford.
Wounded and captured at Malvern Hill, Va. Exchanged. Died of wounds
at New York City Aug. 7, 1862.
Benjamin F. Brown, of Concord.
Discharged for disability August 18, 1863.
Samuel D. Monroe, of Washington.
Promoted to First Lieut. Oct. 1, 1863.
Co. F. — Captains — Henry M. Caldwell, of Dunbarton.
Died July 12, 1862.
Edward T. Rowell, of Concord.
Promoted to Major July 1, 1864.
Samuel F. Murray, of Auburn.
Honorably discharged Dec. 29, 1864.
Asel B. Griggs, of Orford.
Transferred to Co^K, 5th N. H. V., to date Dec. 23, 1864.
First Lieuts. — James II. Hildreth, of Lebanon.
Resigned August, 1863.
Samuel F. Murray, of Auburn.
Promoted to Captain Sept. 10, 1863.
Edwin F. Chadwick, of Boscawen.
Honorably discharged April 25, 1864.
Asel B. Griggs, of Orford.
Promoted to Captain Jan. 16, 1865.
James E. Follansbee, of Mont Yernon.
Transferred to Co. K, 5th N. H. V., to date Dec. 23, 1864.
SHARPSHOOTERS. 569
Second Lieuts. — Edward T. Rowell, of Concord.
Promoted to Captain July 13, 1862.
Samuel F. Murray, of Auburn.
Promoted to First Lieut. Aug. 30, 1863.
Asel B. Griggs, of Orford.
Wounded June 21, 1864. ^ Promoted to First Lieut. Nov. 22, 1864.
Co. G. — Captains — William D. McPherson, of Concord.
Resigned Oct. 31, 1862.
Howard P. Smith, of Hudson.
Wounded May 6, 1864. Mustered out Dec. 24, 1864
First Lieuts. — John A. Moores, of Canterbury.
Resigned Nov. 14, 1862.
Albert G. Fisher, of New Ipswich.
Discharged April 2, 1864.
Abner I). Colby, of Manchester.
Taken prisoner May 6, 1864. Exchanged Feb. 28, 1865. Mustered out
June 21, 1865.
Second Lieuts. — Edward Dow, of Concord.
Resigned July 16, 1862.
John "W. Thompson, of Nashua.
Killed Sept. 17, 1862.
Howard P. Smith, of Hudson.
Promoted to Captain Nov. 1, 1862.
Warren H. Fletcher, of Claremont.
Transferred to Co. K, 5th N. H. V., Dec. 23, 1864.
Company E spent the winter of 1861-62 at Camp of
Instruction in drilling and target practice. Earl}7 in the
spring of 1862 the First Regiment United States Sharp
shooters was assigned to Fitz John Porter's Division,
with which it made its first campaign. On the 9th of
March, in a reconnoissance toward Big Bethel, the only
enemy found was a few cavalry scouts, one of whom was
shot from his horse at a "distance of about thirteen
hundred yards, by private James Morse, of company E.
This was the first man shot on either side in the Penin
sula campaign. The regiment took the advance of the
Fifth Corps on the march to Yorktown, and on the 5th
of April distinguished themselves in the first battle of
the campaign, crawling up near the enemy's works and
with their target rifles picking off the rebel gunners so
570 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
surely as to render their batteries nearly useless. It was
in this engagement that the company lost its first man
killed, private J. S. M. Ide, of Claremont. During the
long siege of Yorktown which succeeded, the sharp
shooters were constantly at work, and kept the enemy
from molesting working parties.
After the capture of Yorktown, on the 5th of May,
they proceeded by water to West Point, where they
exchanged their target guns for Sharpe's rifles. On the
27th they took part in the battle of ^ Hanover Court
House, and then accompanied Porter's Corps through
the famous seven days' fight, losing heavily in the battles
of Mechanicsville, Games' Mill and Malvern Hill. At
the latter place Second Lieut. C. E. Jones was wounded
and taken prisoner, soon after which he died. At
Gainesville and second Bull Run, in August, the com
pany suffered considerable loss in killed and wounded,
among the latter of whom was Captain William P. Aus
tin, of Claremont, who had his arm severely shattered.
At Blackford's Ford, on the 19th of September, in a
sharp engagement, they drove the rebels and captured
several pieces of artillery. They took part in the terri
ble battle of Fredericksburg, on the 13th of December,
and were the last troops withdrawn across the river after
the attack was abandoned.
Early in January, 1863, the two regiments of sharp
shooters wrere brought together in one command, under
Colonel Berdan. While thus organized they took part
in the great battle of Chance'llorsville, where they greatly
distinguished themselves, first in the engagement known
as " The Cedars," where they took the entire Twenty-
third Georgia Regiment prisioners, and afterward in
the great battle of May 3d, where they suffered heavily.
At the battle of Gettysburg the sharpshooters were
almost constantly engaged, and contributed their full
share toward that victory which saved Washington from
SHARPSHOOTERS. 571
capture, and turned the tide in favor of the Union arms.
They then joined in the pursuit of Lee, and bore the
brunt of the sharp fight of Wapping Heights, where
their splendid skill in skirmishing, their coolness and
the deliberation and accuracy of their aim won great
praise from Generals Meade and French, who were eye
witnesses of their movements. They also distinguished
themselves in a charge at Auburn, on the 13th of Octo
ber, which elicited a special complimentary order from
the Corps commander. At Kelley's Ford, November
3d, they drove the enemy across the Rappahannock,
captured a large number of prisoners, and gained a
lodgment of the Union forces on the other side of the
river. Here Sergeant Samuel D. Monroe, who had been
commissioned first lieutenant, but not mustered, was
instantly killed. On the 27th and 28th of November, in
the severe battles at Locust Grove and Mine Run, they
took an active part, and suffered considerable loss.
In the winter the sharpshooters were assigned to the
Third Brigade, Third Division, Second Army Corps,
General Hancock commanding, with Brigadier General
Alexander Hayes as brigade commander. With this
brigade they went through the bloody campaign of the
summer of 1864, under fire almost without cessation,
every day from the 5th of May until they were mustered
out of service, during which campaign Captain W. G.
Andrews and First Lieut. Isaac Davis were both
wounded.
On the 8th of September the original members of
Company E, less than a score in number, were mustered
out of service. By order of the various Corps com
manders under which it served, this company was
allowed to inscribe upon its colors the names and dates
' of thirty battles and skirmishes in which it participated,
the first being at Lewinsville, September 27, 1861, and
the last at Deep Bottom, August 15 and 16, 1864.
572 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Companies F and G formed a part of the Second Regi
ment. After remaining at Camp of Instruction, near
"Washington, through the winter of 1861-62, on the 18th
of March the regiment was assigned to the brigade of
General Augur, First Division, First Corps, and joined
the command at Camp Williams, near Fairfax Seminary.
They met the enemy for the first time at Falmouth, on
the 15th of April, and in a short skirmish drove them
across the Rappahannock, At the time of Banks'
retreat to Harper's Ferry, and during the trip, the regi
ment lost one man killed and about sixty wounded, by a
collision of trains on the railroad. On the 12th of July
Captain II. M. Caldwell, Company F, died of typhoid
fever, and the service thus lost a brave, patriotic and
faithful officer. First Lieut. J. II. Hildreth was detailed
as aid to General Gibbon, and the command of the
company devolved on Lieut. Rowell.
At Rappahannock Station, in a sharp engagement, on
the 23d of August, Company F had its first man
wounded — Sergeant J. P. Dodge, of New Boston. The
two companies bore an honorable part in the disastrous
campaign of General Pope, in the battles of Sulphur
Springs, Gainesville, and Bull Run. They won great
praise from their commanding officers at the battles of
South Mountain and Antietam, where they suffered
heavy losses. Among the killed was Second Lieut. J.
W. Thompson, of Company G, who was shot through
the head while attempting to capture a stand of rebel
colors. The regiment was hotly engaged at Fredericks-
burg, on the 13th of December, under General Franklin.
As stated, the two regiments of sharpshooters were
brought together in one brigade, early in January, 1863,
and so continued through the campaign of the succeed
ing summer. At Sulphur Springs the First Regiment
was transferred to the third brigade, while the Second
remained with General Ward's, taking part in the
SHARPSHOOTERS. 573
battles of Kelly's Ford, Locust Grove, Mine Run, and
encamped during the winter at Brandy Station. In
January, 1864, more than two-thirds of each company
re-enlisted, and the regiment became a veteran regiment
and received a furlough.
The history of these companies during the bloody
campaign of 1864, is mainly like that of company E.
They were used mostly as skirmishers and sharpshooters,
and were almost constantly under fire. From the time
of the consolidation of the two regiments, in January,
1863, they participated in the same battles and skir
mishes as Company E. Previous to this time they par
ticipated in eight engagements, in all of which they
acted with great coolness and gallantry. Major Rowell
was wounded severely at the battle of Petersburg ; Cap
tain Murray, Company F, was taken prisoner at the
battle of Ream's Station, and was in the hands of the
enemy several months, and Captain H. P. Smith, Com
pany G, was severely wounded in the battle of the
Wilderness. The few original men of these two
campanies who had not re-enlisted, were mustered
out of service at the expiration of their term, in Novem
ber and December, 1864. The remainder, with the rest
of the regiment, wrere consolidated into one company,
with those left of the First Regiment, and were trans
ferred to the Fifth New Hampshire, in which they
formed Company K, with three officers, Captain Griggs,'
First Lieut. Follansbee, and Second Lieut. Fletcher.
These three companies of Sharpshooters contained
some of the best rifle shots in the State, and have not
been surpassed by any organization from New Hamp
shire for the intelligence and soldierly qualities of their
members. They participated in more battles and skir
mishes than the average of regiments, and probably
killed more rebels than the same number of troops in
any other arm of the service ; while from their having
5 74 THE GREA T REBELLION.
been seldom used in line of battle in dense masses, tbey
suffered less loss in comparison than many other regi
ments.
SUMMARY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE TROOPS.
\Vhole number of different commissioned officers, 1601
Promoted in Regiments, 761
Promoted out of Regiments, 50
Whole number of commissions issued, 2362
Declined commissions, 49
Not mustered in grade to which commissioned 217
Mustered out at expiration of term, ...784
Honorably discharged for various reasons, 466
Killed in action, or died of wounds 136
Died of disease, 43; committed suicide, 1 44
Dishonorably discharged, 39; Commissions revoked, 13 52
Whole number of original enlisted men, 19851
Killed in action or died of wounds, 1056
Died of disease, 2006
Honorably discharged for disability, or other causes, 3767
Mustered out at expiration of term 8216
Transferred to other commands, 938
Deserted, , 1191
Promoted in Regiments to com'd officers and non-com'd staff, : 582
Promoted out of Regiments, 55
Dishonorably discharged, 23
Missing in action, 133 ; not officially accounted for, 116 249
Absent when regiment was mustered out, 150
Accidental deaths, 31
Re-enlisted veterans, ..1571
Executed for desertion, 1 ; committed suicide 1, 2
Deserters returned voluntarily, or captured, 199
Died in rebel prisons, 138
Whole number of volunteer recruits, drafted men and substitutes, ....11298
Killed in action, or died of wounds 443
Missing in action, 133
Died of disease 515
Mustered out at expiration of term, 2914
Honorably discharged for disability and other causes, 655
Deserted 3549
Executed for desertion 13
Deserters returned voluntarily, or-captured 205
Died in rebel prisons, 130
From the above it will be seen that the whole number of commissioned
officers in the war from New Hampshire was 1601 ; enlisted men, recruits
and substitutes, 31,149 — making a total of men from the State of 32,750,
out of a population of less than 330,000, or about ten per cent, of the
whole population.
THE GREAT REBELLION. 575
The Fifth Kegiment lost the greatest number of men
killed, though the Twelfth suffered most heavily in pro
portion to its numbers, losing over one-tenth of its
members on the field, while the loss of the Fifth was
less than one-twelfth. The First, Sixteenth and Seven
teenth regiments lost no men killed in battle. The
Ninth lost the greatest absolute number, but the Six
teenth the greatest percentage by disease. The deaths
in the latter amounted to over twenty per cent, notwith
standing it was never in an engagement. The number
of desertions varied with the number and character of
the recruits received in the latter months of the war.
Many deserted on their way to the field, and never
reached the regiment to which they were assigned.
The authorities of the State looked well to the needs
of her soldiers, under all circumstances. Colonel Frank
E. Howe, of the City of New York, and Robert R. Car
son, of Philadelphia, were early appointed agents to
look after, provide and care for the sick and w^ounded
soldiers of New Hampshire who were in hospitals or
passing through those cities, and each forwarded month
ly reports of names, disability and deaths in the several
hospitals, and other important facts in relation to
soldiers coming under their observation. Other agents
were appointed and sent to army hospitals and battle
fields to look after the sick and wounded and bury the
dead.
From the 1st to the 15th of April, 1865, great events
transpired, agitating the country from one end to the
other. Richmond was taken, Lee's army surrendered
to General Grant, at Appomattox Court House — and
while the north was rejoicing at the prospect of a speedy
peace and a happy issue out of our national difficulties,
President Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater, in
576 THE GREAT REBELLION.
Washington, where he went by special invitation, on
the evening of the 14th, by John Wflkes Booth, and
expired the next morning, about half-past seven o'clock.
The country was plunged into deep mourning. The
same day Andrew Johnson, the Vice President, was
inaugurated President of the United States. In ac
cordance with recommendation from Washington, the
Governor of New Hampshire issued a proclamation
suggesting that funeral obsequies be observed through
out the State on the 19th, which was obeyed by every
considerable town. President Johnson designated the
1st of June for further memorial service to the lamented
Abraham Lincoln, throughout the country, and Gover
nor Gilmore made proclamation to the people of New
Hampshire accordingly. Hon. James W. Patterson,
then Representative in Congress, accepted an invitation
from the Governor and the Honorable Council to pro
nounce a Funeral Eulogy, at Concord, and the people
of the State were invited to assemble there and join in
the ceremonies. They turned out in large numbers,
including military and other organizations; the exer
cises agreed upon were fully, solemnly and creditably
carried oat, and the procession was the largest ever
known in the State. It was a spontaneous expression
of the sorrow of the people for the loss of a great, good
and patriotic man, respected and beloved by every true
American, as no other man had been since George
Washington.
ICHABOD GOODWIN. 577
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
GOVERNOR ICHABOD GOODWIN.
Ichabod Goodwin was born in that part of the ancient
town of Brunswick, Maine, now known as North Ber
wick, in October, 1796. When fourteen years old he
entered, as clerk, the counting room of Samuel Lord,
Esq., a merchant, of Portsmouth. In 1817 he went
to sea as supercargo to a ship, in the employment of
John P. & Samuel Lord, of Portsmouth. Soon after
he sailed as master and supercargo of one of their ships,
and then became interested with them in the ships he
commanded. In 1832 he abandoned the sea, and en
gaged in an extensive mercantile business, in connection
with Samuel E. Coues, Esq., at Portsmouth. He repre
sented that city in the popular branch of the New
Hampshire Legislature, in 1838, '43, '44, '50, '54, and '56,
and was a member of the Constitutional Convention in
1850. He was the first President of the Eastern Rail
road Company, in New Hampshire, and held the office
for twenty years. In 1847 he was elected the President
of the Portland, Saco, and Portsmouth Railroad Com
pany, which office he still holds. In March, 1859, Mr.
Goodwin was elected Governor of New Hampshire, and
was re-elected in 1860 — his term of office extending to
June 5, 1861, covering the breaking out of the rebellion
and the raising of the first two regiments of volunteer
infantry from the State in the War of the Rebellion.
This was a most trying period in the history of New
Hampshire, and most nobly and patriotically did Gover
nor Goodwin meet the emergency. The people har*
confidence in his wisdom and financial skill, and when
he issued a call for men and money for the war they
578 THE GREAT REBELLION.
responded promptly. There were no funds in the treasu
ry aside from what was required to me*et the ordinary
expenses of the State, and the crisis demanded " the
sinews of war" in such amount as then seemed very
large, and that the quota of men called for by the Presi
dent from New Hampshire should be raised and made
ready for the field without delay. He appealed to the
banking institutions and private individuals of the State
— those of other States had their own burdens to bear —
and they promptly and nobly came forward and placed
at his disposal six hundred and eighty thousand dollars.
To call an extra session of the Legislature would in
volve delay and a considerable expense, and Governor
Goodwin, with the advice of his Council, assumed the
responsibility, as Commander-in-Chief of the Militia,
to act without special legislative authority. On the
assembling of the Legislature, in June, in a valedictory
address, he plainly and concisely stated the position he
assumed and the motives which actuated him. The
Legislature at once endorsed all his acts by unanimously
passing "the Enabling Act," relieving the Governor of his
heavy responsibility. His administration of State affairs
for two years met with almost universal approval, and he
left the office with the highest respect of all parties.
As a member of the Legislature and of the Constitu
tional Convention he took a leading part on committees
and in debate. His speeches were never made for show.
He spoke only when there seemed to be occasion for it,
and then always to the point, and was listened to with
great respect^ and attention, for his conservatism and
practical wisdom in all matters of public policy were
well known. In all public positions he discharged his
duties with fidelity, industry and marked ability. As
a citizen and business man he is public spirited, liberal,
high-minded, and enjoys the unbounded confidence and
respect of all.
NATHANIEL S. BERRY. 579
GOVERNOR NATHANIEL S. BERRY.
Nathaniel S. Berry, the thirty-sixth Governor of New
Hampshire, was born at Bath, Me., on the 1st of Septem
ber, 1796. His father, who was a ship carpenter, died
in 1802, leaving his mother with four young chidren.
"When Nathaniel was ten years old his 'mother married
again, and when twelve he came with his mother and
step-father to Lisbon, New Hampshire. He subsequently
served an apprenticeship at the tanning and currying
business in Bath, this State. He commenced the tan
ning and currying business on his own account at Bristol,
New Hampshire, and resided there twenty-two years.
In 1828 he represented that town in the New Hampshire
Legislature, and also in 1833 and 1834. He was elected
to the State Senate from the Eleventh District in 1835
and 1836, and was returned to the House of Representa
tives from Bristol in 1837. In 1840 he moved to Hebron,
where he built an extensive tannery and entered into
business. In 1841 he was appointed Judge of the Court
of Common Pleas for Grafton County, which office he
held until 1850, when he resigned. In 1854 he was
elected to the Legislature from Hebron, and in 1856 was
appointed Judge of Probate for the County of Grafton,
which office he resigned the day before his inauguration
as Governor of New Hampshire, in June, 1861. He
was a delegate from this State to the Democratic Na
tional Convention, in 1840, and was several times can
didate for Governor on the Liberty and Free Soil tickets.
In January, 1849, Judge Berry's tannery at Hebron,
was destroyed by fire. He immediately rebuilt it, and
it was again destroyed by that devouring element in
1857. Each time his loss was quite heavy over and
above his insurance. After the last fire he looked over
his affairs, and found that he could pay all his liabilities
580 THE GREAT REBELLION.
and have a small amount left. Being then above sixty
years old, he concluded not to rebuild, and retired from
the business that he had followed from his early youth.
Judge Berry was first elected Governor in March,
1861, just about a month before the first rebel gun was
fired at Fort Surnter, and was inaugurated the following
June, after the First Regiment had been sent to the
field, and while the Second was being organized. It
was a position of greater responsibility than any New
Hampshire Governor had ever been placed in before,
but conscious of the rectitude of his intentions he as
sumed it with a determination to answer, as far as he
was able, every demand of the general government for
troops to aid in putting down the rebellion, with
promptness and fidelity. No man was ever influenced
by purer or more patriotic motives in all he did, from
first to last, than was Governor Berry. During the two
years of his administration, from June, 1861, to June,
1863, nearly all of the New Hampshire Regiments
and other organizations were raised and put into the
field ; and it is not saying more than the truth when
it is asserted that no troops went forth from any state
better armed, equipped and supplied with the neces
saries of the camp than those from New Hampshire.
When in the field they were watched over and cared for
by the Governor as if they had been his own children,
and many a young man who went forth in answer to the
call of his country, will remember the words of encour
agement and cheer spoken to him by our good, Christian
Chief Magistrate, and his frequent visits to their camps
in the field. His faithfulness and patriotism was re
warded with a re-election, in 1862, by a flattering ma
jority.
All of Governor Berry's acts while in office were
characterized writh care and prudence, and his State
papers brief, concise and clear in language and wise and
JOSEPH A. OILMORE. 581
prudent in their suggestions. "When at the end of his
second term, in June, 1863, he retired from office, he
carried with him the unqualified respect of all with
whom he had been brought in contact, and the good
wishes of the people of the entire State. Soon after
this Governor Berry removed to Andover, Mass., where
he still resides, leading a quiet, peaceful and happy life,
honored and respected for his many admirable qualities
of head and heart.
GOVERNOR JOSEPH A. GILMORE.
Governor Gilmore was born at Weston, Windsor
County, Vermont, in 1811. He had the advantage of a
good common school and academic education, such as
most boys at that time enjoyed. His father died when
Joseph was but a lad, leaving him dependent upon his
own efforts for a livelihood. He went to Boston while
quite young, was clerk in a mercanlile establishment,
and afterward was in business on his own account.
About thirty years ago he removed to Concord, New
Hampshire, where he was for some time engaged in a
heavy mercantile business. He was subsequently chosen
Superintendent of the Concord Railroad, and was inter
ested as owner and manager in other railroads running
into Concord. He was a man of wonderful activity and
energy, pushing to completion any work left to his care.
In 1858 and 1859 he represented his district in the NQW
Hampshire Senate, and the latter year was president of
that body. He was elected Governor of New Hampshire
in March, 1863, and was re-elected the following year.
His first and all succeeding messages to the Legislature
were full of patriotic expressions and suggestions ; and
in the two years during which he was Governor, he
promptly furnished all troops demanded by the War
Department in its several calls upon the State, and
582 THE GREAT REBELLION.
was untiring in his attention to the necessities of New
Hampshire men in the field and military hospitals.
He sent medical men and others, as the exigencies
of the war seemed to require them, to attend the
wounded during the active operations of the army, and
the sick at all times. During these two years no New
England State had a more active Chief Magistrate, or
one who had its honor and the comfort of its soldiers
more nearly at heart than Governor Gilmore. He died
on the 17th of April, 1867.
GOVERNOR FREDERICK SMYTH.
Frederick Smyth, the thirty-eighth Governor of New
Hampshire, was born in Candia, Rockingham County,
March 9, 1819. His father was a farmer of thrifty
habit, in good circumstances, and his mother was a
daughter of Isaiah Rowe, a soldier of the Revolution.
His youth was spent in assisting his father upon the farm
and attending the public school in the district.
After availing himself of the schools at home, to the
full extent of their advantages, he studied a brief term
at Andover, Mass., under charge of Dr. Coleman. The
money requisite for this purpose was earned by school
teaching and working between schools — his first experi
ence in this way being at Auburn, when he was seven
teen years of age.
He had a strong desire to enter college, but the way
did not seem clear, and eager to be doing, he entered
into trade at the old place known for many years in
Candia as the " Master Fitts store," in partnership with
Thomas Wheat — being of about equal age. After a
short time they abandoned the business, and both, in
1838, removed to Manchester, where Dr. Wheat is now
a physician in extensive practice, and a highly respected
citizen. Frederick, then nineteen years of age, obtained
T T.StTLart.Bostcm.
GOVERNOR OF HEW HAMPSHIRE 1865-66.
FREDERICK SMYTH. 583
a clerkship in a large dry goods and grocery store, doing
his work with characteristic zeal. He soon found suffi
cient encouragement, and began business for himself,
in that then new and rapidly growing place.
In 1844 he married Emily, daughter of John Lane,
Esq., of Candia, a near neighbor to the old homestead.
In 1849 he was chosen City Clerk, which office he held
for three years, and until his election as Mayor, in 1852.
He was chosen to the mayoralty three years in succes
sion, and each time by increased majorities. Some of
the best permanent improvements of the city are due to
his energetic administration. Among these may be
named the trees now affording such grateful shade ; or
namentation of the parks; the annexation of Piscataquog
and Amoskeag, and the building a new and more com
modious depot, after a prolonged contest with the Con
cord Railroad corporation.
The establishment of a free city Library met with
considerable opposition from various quarters; but the
Mayor's efforts and influence secured the success of the
enterprise. From a small beginning it has by annual
appropriations by the city, and in other ways, grown to
be one of the most extensive and valuable collections
of books in the State, and a blessing to all the people
of Manchester. The late Chief Justice Bell, one of
tho warmest and most constant friends of the library,
evinced his estimate of this act by a resolution offered
in the Board of Trustees, March 17, 1855, thanking
Mayor Smyth for " his early, decided and successful
exertions as chief magistrate of the city," in this behalf.
In 1864 — a time of peculiar financial difficulty — his
fellow citizens, without distinction of party, prevailed
upon him to accept the mayoralty for the fourth time,
being elected without any opposition.
In 1855 he was appointed by the Governor and Council,
chairman of a Board of Commissioners to locate and
584 THE GREAT REBELLION.
build a House of Reformation for Juvenile Offenders.
The Manchester Daily Mirror of April ilth, 1862, says :
"How successfully he accomplished this difficult task against bitter opposi
tion and prejudice arising from location and politics combined, which would
have dishearten d almost any other man, the present popularity of the institu
tion, of which he is now treasurer, bears witness, and will to future generations."
In 1857-58, lie was a member of the popular branch
of the State Legislature, and the latter year received a
very strong vote in the nominating caucus of his party
for Speaker. He was Treasurer and one of the Man
agers of the State Agricultural Society for ten years or
more, and is now a Vice President of the New England
Agricultural, and the United States Pomological Socie
ties, and one of the Board of Directors of the United
States Agricultural Society.
In 1861 he was appointed by the United States as an
agent to the International Exhibition at London, and
also held a commission from the United States Agricul
tural Society to visit such agricultural exhibitions as
might be held during the time in Great Britain, or on
the Continent. On his arrival in London he was
appointed by her Majesty's Commissioners of the Inter
national Exhibition, a juror, and was chosen by his
associates the reporter for -the jury. This position ad
mitted him to the most select circles in London, and
also afforded him unusual facilities for acquaintance and
association with literary and scientific gentlemen in
Europe.
In common with others, Mr. Smyth at that time
thought that the war would be of short duration, and
expected to find matters amicably adjusted on his re
turn. After discharging his duties with fidelity at Lon
don, he visited the Continent in company with Charles
L. Flint, Esq., Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of
Agriculture. "When they arrived at Rome in July, 1862,
the tidings from home, discouraging enough in fact,
FREDERICK SMYTH. 585
became doubly so when received through the distorted
medium of continental imagination.
Mr. Smyth deeming it his duty to be at home, short
ened his intended trip. At Frankfort the news improv
ed in character; but they decided to keep on, and
arrived at New York in September. Through the
following winter, while giving needed attention to the
affairs of the First National Bank, of which he is
principal financial manager, and of the Savings Bank,
of which he is Treasurer, he threw his influence in favor
of taking largely of government bonds, at a time when
the country was in distress for means to carry on the
war, and when it was regarded as a doubtful investment.
In May, 1863, a fair in aid of the Sanitary Commission
was projected in Manchester. Mr. Smyth was chairman
of the committee having it in hand, gave the use of his
hall, and several weeks of earnest labor in urging it
forward. It was remarkably successful — netting about
four thousand dollars for the relief of sick and wounded
soldiers. It may be here stated, that although he had
passed the legal age for military service, he furnished at
his private expense a good, able-bodied man, who served
during the war.
On the memorable first four days of July in that year,
the battle of Gettysburg was fought. The late Governor
Gilmore immediately sent to the field some of the most
prominent citizens, physicians and others, to aid in care
of the wounded. Mr. Smyth, with the late George
Hutchins of Concord— a most worthy and patriotic gen
tleman, who, with his wife, was among the lost on board
the steamer United States, on the Ohio river, on the 4th
of December, 1868 — pushed through from Baltimore by
cattle cars, teams and on foot, and was one of the first to
reach the field. A surgeon who was present, in a letter
wrote : " The prompt, efficient and able manner in which
he aided both officers and men with counsel, and means
586 THE GREAT REBELLION.
to procure needed articles for the relief of distress, was
remarked by all. Through drenching rain, through
mud, wading swollen creeks, he seemed everywhere
present." In this case, however, his zeal was too great
for his strength. The sickening effluvia of the battle
field, the sounds and sights of distress, beyond all human
aid, added to neglect of proper food, brought him to a
sick bed, where he was confined during most of the
fall of 1863. The next May, while Grant's army was
making its way to Richmond, Mr. Smyth again visited
the battle field after the sanguinary contest of the Wil
derness. Under the broiling sun of a Virginia May,
with arms bare to the work, he helped carry the wound
ed from the field to Fredericksburg, where such care
was given them as could be had. Many a New Hamp
shire boy owes his life to these exertions.
Meantime the numerous friends of Mr. Smyth
throughout the State, and others who had been looking
anxiously for some leader fitted to meet a somewhat
critical financial emergency, brought forward his name
prominently as a candidate for Governor. It was
received with favor in all quarters ; the nomination was
harmoniously made in convention, favorably received by
the people, while his political opponents even conceded
the admirable personal qualities of the nominee. In
its issue of January 6, 1865, the Boston Journal said :
"In the selection of Mr. Smyth as candidate for Governor, the Union men
have done themselves much credit and the State a great service. Mr. Smyth
is widely and favorably known for his interest in agriculture and mechanic
arts, for his enterprise and public spirit, and for his administrative ability.
With the constant drain upon the resources of the State in response to the
calls of patriotism, and with finances already slightly embarrassed by ad
vances made to volunteers, it will require unusual financial ability in the ex
ecutive to maintain the credit of the State. Mr. Smyth, we believe, possesses
all the requisite qualifications, and with his business habits, sound judgment
and untiring energy, and the steady determination of the people to maintain
their credit, the Granite State will coine out triumphantly from its embarrass
ments."
FREDERICK SMYTH. 587
These auguries proved true. Governor Smyth was
inaugurated in June 1865, having been elected by a
majority of 6084. Said the Independent Democ at,
published at Concord :
"It is the largest majority received by any candidate for that position in
this State, for twenty-four years. It is but a just tribute to unblemished pub
lic and private character, to excellent mental ability, well improved and well
directed, and to peculiar fitness in head, heart and hand for the responsible
position to which he has been assigned."
' The main purpose of his inaugural message was to
awaken confidence in the credit and resources of .the
State. Giving the full amount of the debt, he set off
against it as no previous State paper had ever done or
perhaps had ever occasion to do, the agricultural, me
chanical and commercial resources of ]S~ew Hampshire.
Some of the towns, restive under unwonted debt,
wished to have the State assume their liabilities.
Although no formal demand was made, the Governor
yet thought best to reply to a popular desire, as follows :
"The war debt of the loyal States was incurred equally with that of the
nation, for national purposes, and they have cheerfully assumed and volun
tarily borne its burdens, under many disadvantages. The general government,
to preserve its own life, has been obliged to take virtual possession of the money
market by exempting its securlti s from state and municipal taxation, and
by increasing the ordinary rates of interest. This has borne heavily upon the
visible property and depressed the securities of the states. Whatever means
shall be devised by which a share, at least, of this burden shall be discharged
by those parties to the rebellion to whom it rightfully belongs, will meet with
the cordial approval of the people. When Congress manifests a disposition to
move in this matter, the claims of our cities and towns should be considered
and adjusted. Any state action prior to this can afford no relief. Should the
State now assume the town debts, it must levy a tax directly upon the towns,
as its own present debt is already quite as large as we shall be able to fund, or
manage so as to preserve the public credit."
After giving the number of soldiers sent to the field,
the Governor said :
" Our State will never be unmindful of the heroic deeds of her sons in the
great struggle for national life. They sprang to arms at the first call, and no
588 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
considerable battle has been fought in which they have not participated.
During the early days of the rebellion, they were at tinifcs cast down by tem
porary defeat, but in every instance only to rally with renewed vigor. * * *
It will not be easy for us to pay our debt of gratitude to these brave men.
* * * I desire to call your attention to the case of soldiers permanently
disabled in the service of their country. The scanty provisions of the general
government will in many cases prove entirely inadequate for their support or
that of their families, and the assistance of the towns and cities in which they
reside will necessarily be invoked. I recommend that in all cases where soldiers
or their families are assisted in this manner, that the laws be so amended, that
none of the disabilities that attach to paupers shall apply to them. I wish also
earnestly to recommend that all persons in places of influence, all who have
honorable employment to offer, should discriminate, if possible, in favor of the
returned soldier. Encourage those who are disabled in any industry of which
they may be capable. Let the soldier see, that while we revere the name and
fame of the dead, we do not forget the best and highest welfare of the living.
So shall we and those who come after us be worthy of the blessings which have
been bestowed by the Power that guided our counsels, and led our armies in
this great war.
In regard to the battle flags, he suggested, "That these proud but sad
memorials of our recent terrible conflict be conspicuously displayed in the halls
of your deliberations, that by the.n we may be constantly reminded, not only
of the fortitude and devotion of those who bore them upon the march, and in
the hour of battle, but also of our own obligation to sacredly preserve the
fruits of these sacrifices."
On national affairs the message was brief, but not
uncertain, and took grounds which Congress has at last
come to occupy.
" Our armies have not only carried with them a restored authority, but
they have opened the way for a higher and nobler civilization, without which
there can be no free government, and with which rebellion is impossible. For
myself, I shall feel that the great purpose of this war is not attained, the
great lesson of this punishment not learned, until free schools, free churches
and a free ballot, are established wherever the federal authority extends.
This we owe to the good order and permanent security of all the States. This
alone will be a commensurate reward for the unparalleled heroism of the
brave soldiers who have borne us through the contest. On such a consumma
tion only can we expect the continued favor of heaven and the blessing of
the God of our fathers. Let the awful scenes through which we have passed
teach us our duty. The blood of the sons of New Hampshire mingled with
that of others from every loyal State calls to us from a hundred battle fields, to
stand true to the great cause, through all the victory and amidst the signs of
accomplished peace.
FREDERICK SMYTH. 589
** The spirit of the last great martyr for universal emancipation, lifted above
the cares and weaknesses of this life, bids us be true to the cause. In our
sorrow even we take courage, and make the brutal assassination of our noble
President — that most wicked fruit of a barbarous system, confirm us in the
resolution to make universal freedom a synonym for universal suffrage, under
such safeguards as wise legislation may provide.
** All must agree that the States which have been in rebellion should not
hereafter be controlled by rebels and traitors ; and as we do not propose to
admit again into this Union the cause of all this evil, so let us extend to the
loyal citizen, of whatever color, those rights justly earned by patience, devo
tion and unwavering faithfulness to the common cause.
;t The weakness and ignorance of the race whose broken shackles paved our
way to victory are potent reasons why its condition should no longer be left
uncertain or insecure. The question of suffrage is one of those defenses behind
which the spirit of slavery will yet intrench itself, and by which it will seek
to regain some fragment of its power. If we would have an enduring and
prosperous peace, we shall level every obstruction, concede nothing to the
prejudices of slavery and give the freedman the right to assert that manhood
peacefully at the ballot box which he has so nobly proved on the battle field.
Let no fear of apparent difficulties in the way deter us ; there is no danger so
great to a nation as the existence of a flagrant injustice in its midst, sanctioned
and fostered by its authority. Let us therefore be just and hope for continued
favor from the source of all prosperity."
Contemporary criticism on the message was very favorable. " His views,"
said the Independent Democrat, " upon national topics, are expressed with a
clearness, precision and positiveness which even partisan opposition can but
approve."
"It is not often," remarked the Keene Sentinel, " that we have a better
message from a New Hampshire Governor, whether we regard it in its senti
ments, or in the manner of expressing them."
" One of our best papers of the kind," observed the careful Statesman,
" that has appeared in New Hampshire. The public concerns of the State
are set forth with clearness, the brief portion appropriated to national concerns
is fully imbued with the spirit of patriotism."
That these commendations were not mere empty
words, will appear from the fact that every one of its
practical suggestions was adopted and acted upon by
the Legislature. In less than three months he raised
for State purposes $1,200,000, one-third of which was
obtained in Manchester. The loans were effected in
such manner that they improved, rather than depre
ciated, the credit of the State.
590 THE GREAT REBELLION.
"When Lee's army had surrendered, the New Hamp
shire men who went to and fought through the four
years' war, were anxious to return to their homes, and
by Governor Smyth's influence with the War Depart
ment, most of the regiments from this State were among
the first ones mustered out of the service. All through
June and July the returning regiments from the war
thronged the streets of the State capital, and were re
ceived with cordial greeting from Governor Smyth. He
saw that they were promptly paid, listened to their
grievances, praised their heroic deeds, and was never
weary of work in their behalf.
The Second was the first three years' regiment which
went to the war from New Hampshire, and the last to
return. At its reception at Concord, in December,
1865, Governor Smyth, being introduced by Adjutant
General Natt Head, said he was proud to welcome to
the State the Second Regiment. There were those who
could not be welcomed home, having yielded up theii
lives on the bloody fields of war. He was reminded of
the scenes of Gettysburg, where it was his fortune to
assist in caring for the wounded, and performing the
last sad duties to the dead. He remembered passing a
building which he was told contained none but rebels,
and on hearing his name called, he entered there to find
members of this regiment, whom he removed to the
spot where the wounded of the regiment were lying, and
he was happy to see one of those men before him to-day.
There was one person he did not see, who ought to be
present on this occasion, and that was Miss Harriet P.
Dame. She had labored and slept on the battle-field,
caring for the wounded and sick, the dying and the
dead. They all knew her deeds of kindness. She was
a noble woman, to be held in kind remembrance by the
people of this State.
Of the dozen or more regiments of all arms dismissed
FREDERICK SMYTH. 591
with words of deserved praise, from the Eleventh, under
Colonel Harriman, which returned from the surrender
of Lee in season to participate in the inauguration cere
monies of June 8th, to the Second, from the northern
neck of Virginia, where Colonel Patterson ruled the
conquered land, probably no soldier of them all could
resist the feeling that the Governor was his true friend.
Sometime in July an order had been issued discon
tinuing the Webster Hospital, in Manchester. As
several sick and wounded soldiers were likely to be
greatly injured by this proceeding, the Governor ad
dressed a feeling protest to Surgeon General Barnes,
arguing the case on grounds of economy as well as hu
manity, and closing as follows :
" In behalf of our sick and suffering heroes who look to me as the executive
of the State to watch over and care for them in their misfortunes, to alleviate
their sufferings, as far as in human power, and to secure them all the comforts
and consolations of which their unhappy circumstances admit, I most earnestly
protest against the contemplated change, so long as hospital facilities are re
quired in this State. I beg leave to renew my previous application for the
transfer of New Hampshire soldiers in other States to our own."
On the 20th of July, the Governor being present at
the annual dinner of the Dartmouth Alumni Associa
tion, in Hanover, made a pertinent speech, which was
received with flattering applause. The Faculty at that
time, in recognition of his warm interest in the college,
conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts.
On the 5th of September the second annual fair of
the J$ew England Agricultural Society took place at
Concord, and according to arrangement, it fell to the
lot of Governor Smyth to deliver the address. It was
very practical, urging farmers to use their best methods,
and speaking plainly of their needs. There was evident
here, as in all the Governor's addresses, a certain devo
tion to the State, carefully subordinated to the broader
interests of the nation. On this occasion the
592 THE GREAT REBELLION.
England Governors honored Governor Smyth by their
presence. The New England Society's published report
said, that
" The address was listened to with the most profound interest by an audience
of more than ten thousand persons, and at its close nine enthusiastic cheers
were given in honor of the Governor. Upon the platform were seated Gover
nor Andrew, of Massachusetts, Governor Coney, of Maine, and Governor
Buckingham, of Connecticut, together with a large number of distinguished
persons gathered from all parts of New England. ' '
Governor Andrew said in the course of some remarks,
that " the address of Governor Smyth had filled him
with admiration for the zeal and earnestness with which
he has entered into the discussion of such important
principles." And called for three cheers for the address,
and three more for Governor Smyth, and they were
given with a will. The same season while attending
the County Fair at Milford, he faithfully admonished the
farmers that much remained to be done. He said :
" There is scarcely a limit to the progress which lies in our reach, if our
active and enterprising young men will remain with us and give their energies
to this pursuit. It is one of the highest duties of parents to cultivate in the
hearts of their sons attachment for home. The flowers should blossom by the
walks and shed their fragrance in the beaten play-ground ; the vine should
climb the lattice by the door, and the ample trellis with its delicious fruitage;
the pear and the plum tree should have their place, surrounded by the kindred
delicacies which are seldom found even in the gardens of the rich. All these
with little care and little expense can be made to beautify every habitation in
the State, and not only to beautify but add substantially to their value, and
the enjoyment of the occupants. In conclusion let me urge upon you all to
unite in earnest efforts to advance the prosperity of our State, and to secure
for her that eminence in her varied industrial pursuits which she is capable of
attaining."
Of his agricultural addresses the New Hampshire
Statesman said :
" The thanks of his fellow citizens, irrespective of party, are due to Governor
Smyth for his encouraging words regarding the future of New Hampshire.
He set forth in his addresses at agricultural fairs this autumn, the advantages
of our State as one in which permanently to dwell, and in which there is work
FREDERICK SMYTH. 593
enough for all to do. He apparently realizes the fact that there are compensa
ting advantages even here ; that those who go from New England to more
fertile soils, do not find in their new abodes many of the social, religious and
even pecuniary advantages enjoyed here."
During the first year of his administration especially,
the Governor looked very sharply after the State
finances. In a dispatch to the Boston Journal, under
date of December 14, 1865, Perley, the regular Washing
ton correspondent of that paper, says :
" Governor Smyth, on his first visit to the Treasury Department, found
that instead of an indebtedness on the part of the General Government to New
Hampshire of nearly half a million of dollars, as had been reported, the State
stood on the books as in debt to the General Government nearly one hundred
thousand dollars. The accounts were much confused, and Governor Smyth,
applying himself with his usual practical business ability to their disentangle
ment, yesterday, as the first fruits of his exposition of blunders, received a
check for forty-seven thousand one hundred and thirty-four dollars. ' '
While on this mission at Washington, the resident
New Hampshire friends of the Governor gave him a
serenade and handsome collation and reception, in com
pliment to his position as Chief Executive of the State,
and for his extraordinary services during and after the
war. Soon after he was present by invitation at the
sixtieth anniversary of the New England Society of New
York, and in the course of his remarks at the supper,
at Delmonico's, said :
" New Hampshire, sir, is small in extent, but her rocky ribs throb with
that vital current which has given life and strength to so many communit:es
on this continent. The sources of the rivers are in the mountains, and there
will be found the sources of virtue also. The people, accustomed to a contest
with the hard soil, cheered with the health of the pure air, will not soon become
enervated. It is not for me to call the roll of her illustrious names or of her
victorious soldiers, living or dead. She claims to have done no more than her
duty in the great contest for the supremacy of New England ideas, and history
may be safely trusted to tell how well. This is an occasion which calls for
no exaltation of one state above another. We have learned on the battle field
to bury all invidious distinctions, and it is to be hoped that no resurrection
of rebellion awaits them. Yet in that generous rivalry which exults in indi-
594 THE GREAT REBELLION.
viclual success only that it may add to the glory of a common country, we
shall not be found wanting. As each separate state of the six whose great
day we here commemorate has contributed freely of all that she holds most
dear, to enhance the peculiar fame of New Knglaud, so, sir, I trust will New
England ever prove true o the highest good of the Union. It was the true
nobility of labor th.it threw down the g.ige in the rebellion, and I rejoice to
see it elevated where it belongs « f right, even though it had to be raised on a
million bayonet points. Labor of the brain and of the hand has made us
all we are. United for a praiseworthy common purpose, they are invincible.
Let us go from this occasion prepared to, assert and defend that Union every
where and on all occasions, as indispensable to the true glory and prosperity
of the union of States which we all hold dear."
What has been here said will give a fair idea of the
general character of Governor Smyth's administration
and of the influence he had upon the public councils.
Active, energetic and hopeful himself, he inspired in
others something of the same zeal. While the general
government was trying to evoke order out of chaos, con
fidence out of doubt, and credit from distrust, the Chief
Executive officer of New Hampshire labored in every
honorable manner to make the State strong enough to
bear her share of the responsibility. A single instance
will illustrate his method of doing things, and at the
same time show how impartial observers regarded it.
During the administration of his predecessor it became
necessary to put Portsmouth harbor in a state of defense,
which was done; but by some means the order of Gen
eral Wool, required as a voucher to reimburse the State
for expenditures, was lost. The State of Rhode Island
having a similar case, which did not succeed so well,
and there being some feeling upon the subject, the
Providence Journal, in speaking of the New Hampshire
claim, said:
" Governor Smyth had two courses before him. He might have attacked the
man who had rushed with alacrity and ardor to put the Navy Yard in a state
of defense. He might have made a message about the mutter to the Legisla
ture. He might have ordered some of his tools in the Legislature to recom
mend a vote of censure on the man. He might have filled New Hampshire
FREDERICK SMYTH. 595
with his outcries and distributed political pamphlets at the expense of the State
and — done nothing to secure the payment of the claim. Or he could institute
a diligent search fur the vouchers, which were needed to substantiate the claim,
which he knew to be a good one ; explain the circumstances in which the ser
vice wa< rendered and press upon the officers at Washington every considera
tion which would be likely to further his cause. He was wise enough to choose
the latter course, or rather the former was so contemptible and crazy that it
never occurred for an instant to a sensible, high-minded man like him. The
result we know. He obtained from General Wool a copy of the order he
issued for protecting the yard, and armed with this obtained at once the pay
ment of his claim. A little common sense is not a bad thing, even for a gov
ernor to have.
While thus industrious in behalf of the loyal cause,
and tireless in the advocacy of his own political princi
ples, the Governor manifests none of that narrow-mind
edness which has been prolific of so much strife and dis
sension. An extract from a brief speech made at Ports
mouth, on the Fourth of July, 1866, which was styled
by the Portsmouth Journal a "model oration/7 and de
clared to have the pith and " force of a hundred more
wordy discourses," is in point :
"It has always been my belief, Mr. President, that the common prosperity
of the whole country could be attained in its truest manner, by the greatest
prosperity of individuals, communities, towns and states. Whatever is for
the interest of one rightly considered, should be for the advancement of all.
It is for this reason that whenever it has been possible, I have urged upon the
people of New Hampshire the steady development of their resources. However
jealous we may be for the national honor, and however quickly our soldiers
sprang to arms to resist unjust encroachments, we rejoice at the national pros
perity and welfare of every southern state. To learn this general view and
make the subject personal to every citizen, each man labors most truly for the
common good when he improves to the utmost the stewardship under his care.
Such labors should excite no inconsiderate rivalry, no local jealousy. Nothing
would rejoice me, as a citizen of Manchester, more than to see this beautiful
seaport of New Hampshire animated in her honorable age with some of the
energy and the enterprise of her youth. I am glad to know that in many
respects this is now the case. And so I should rejoice to know that Dover and
Concord and Keene and Claremont — that every city and town of the good old
Granite State, the noble mother of statesmen and the home of soldiers who
never surrender — were making steady and rapid progress in material prosper
ity, and educated and Christian freedom. But while this is my prayer for the
towns of my native State, I have no sympathy with that narrow vision which
596 THE GREAT REBELLION.
is confined to the circle of the horizon which immediately surrounds us. The
true American hails everywhere in all this broad land the token of progress :
and that is the best government which, when the eternal principles of justice
are settled, maintains the balance of contending interests with even hand."
Governor Smyth was unanimously re-nominated at
the convention of January 3d, 1866, and triumphantly
re-elected.
The most important matter requiring attention during
the second year of his administration, was the funding
of the State deht, which was left in the hands of the
Governor and Council. It was a task of no small diffi
culty, when it is considered that against an untaxed
national bond, bearing interest at six per cent., payable in
gold, we could only offer State security at the same rate,
payable in currency. The message to the Legislature
of June, 1866, gave a plain financial statement, which
forced even a watchful democratic paper to admit that
" he had made some progress in elucidating the muddle
which has so long distinguished the finances of our
State." At any rate, capitalists seemed inclined to be
satisfied with it, for the debt was successfully funded
and the credit of the State established on a firm basis.
The Governor discussed somewhat at length the estab
lishment of an Agricultural College, and urged with
much earnestness that State provision should be
made for disabled soldiers. He said :
" That such men — faithful through wounds and sickness to the very door of
death — should be now allowed to drag out the days that remain to them in beg
gary or pauperism, or that they should be made to feel that their sacrifices are
counted of no worth, is a flagrant injustice and a disgrace which I am sure
New Hampshire can never permit."
Fortunately at this time the action of the general
government obviated the need of any State movement.
Governor Smyth's appointment by Congress as one of
the Board of Managers for the National Asylum for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, for the long term of six
FREDERICK SMYTH. 597
years, was a well merited compliment, and " the right
man was in the right place." He has spared neither
time nor effort in the discharge of his important duty.
In the early part of October, the Governor by invita
tion, accompanied the Ameskeag Veterans on a trip to
JSTewburyport, where they were received by the Ancient
and Honorable Artillery of that place. A pleasing inci
dent which occurred on the way was noticed by the New-
buryport Herald, as follows :
*' At Amesbury the companies were received by a committee of citizens and
marched through the principal streets. At the residence of the poet Whittier
they were brought to a halt, the military doing honor to the man, notwith
standing his Quaker ideas of war. Mr. Whittier appeared on the side walk
when he was greeted by the music and then by the loud cheers of the soldiers
and people. It was refreshing to see honor done to a man because in all his
life he has been manly, and not because of position, wealth, or any of the
accidents that surround men. Noble men were they, the poet and the Gov
ernor of New Hampshire, standing side by side, both sprung from the lowly
and working class of society ; both rising in different spheres by mental gifts
and practical virtues; both honored much for their patriotism, love of country
and love of humanity".
There was a very general desire expressed through
the press, and by letters from all sections of the State,
that Governor Smyth should consent to a nomination
for the third term. ISTot wishing to violate a time-hon
ored custom in New Hampshire, or leave the people in
any doubt as to his position, some weeks before the
convention for the nomination of a candidate was held,
he wrote a letter positively declining a re-nomination,
and it was published in most of the newspapers of the
State. His last State paper was a brief valedictory on
surrendering his official authority into the hands of his
successor, in June, 1867. The Boston Journal of that
date said :
•« Governor Smyth's Administration has been highly successful, not only in
a financial point of view, which is demonstrated by statistics, but in all other
respects. He has been indefatigable in pressing the claims of his State, taking
598 THE GREAT REBELLION.
refusal after refusal only as spurs to his final triumph. Few states indeed
pass from the war period to that of peace in a better Condition than New
Hampshire, under Governor Smyth's administration."
During the two years of his administration Governor
Smyth brought to the discharge of the duties of his
office great energy, industry and financial skill. During
the last year the state debt had been reduced $ 254,313.18.
When he retired from office all the claims of the State
against the general Government had been satisfactorily
adjusted; the State debt had been funded on advantage
ous terms, the credit of the State stood at least equal
to that of any other, and in his valedictory address —
which like all his state papers, was a model for its
directness and practical common sense suggestions — he
congratulated his successor that he would be relieved
from any labor or anxiety relating to financial matters,
In this same address he said :
" The total expenditures of New Hampshire for war purposes amount to six
millions eight hundred and fifty-two thousand six hundred and seventy-eight
dollars. Of this amount there has been paid for bounties, two millions three
hundred eighty-nine thousand twenty-five dollars; for the reimbursement to
towns of aid furnished families of soldiers, one million eight hundred thirty-
five thousand nine hundred eighty-five dollars. There has been reimbursed to
the State, by the General Government, for war expenses, eight hundred ninety,
seven thousand one hundred twenty-two dollars, much of which has been
obtained after repeated rejections. But little more may be expected from this
source without action of Congress."
Among the many evidences of the popular favor with
which the administration of Governor Smyth wras re
garded by the people of all parties, we may name the
following as deserving especial notice. Notwithstanding
his many and frequent journeys to Washington and
other places, on business for the State collecting its
dues and adjusting its indebtedness, he always paid all
his expenses from his private funds, never drawing from
the State Treasury, directly or indirectly one dollar
therefor. Although a contingent fund was placed at his
FREDERICK SMYTH. 599
disposal by the Legislature of each year of his adminis
tration, for such purposes, he never touched one cent of
it. The Legislature which succeeded the close of his
administration, as a recognition of their appreciation of
his strict integrity in this regard, unanimously appropri
ated fifteen hundred dollars to pay him for these expen
ses, for which he had made no charge. The Resolution
was introduced by a political opponent and its passage
urged by complimentary speeches in favor of the Gover
nor, from nearly every prominent political opponent in
the Legislature, as is shown by the journals.
On the 16th of October, 1867, the Ex-Governor, by
invitation, delivered an address at Washington, N. II.,
on occasion of the dedication of a soldiers' monument.
It was widely published and highly spoken of by the
press. The following is an extract from it :
"To us as American citizens, these graves of the loyal dead are perpetual
incentives to duty. Every green mound on which the falling leaves of au
tumn softly drop their gold and scarlet wreathes, every monument of stone or
bronze or marble that points from earth to Heaven admonishes us of our
sacred charge. As much as any one I believe in peace and peaceful measures;
as much as any one I desire the lasting and perpetual union of these States.
But in such a presence as this and with all the sacrifice of the long years of
blood and carnage so resolutely borne by the people, I, for one, can never
consent to any renewal of fraternal union that is not founded on the absolute
equality in right of every citizen, irrespective of mere accident of birth. Such
I believe to be the trust reposed in us, and especially can no man not personally
engaged in the struggle persuade himself that he ought to do less than to retain
and improve what they have given us by their lives. Let us cherish neither
malice nor revenge, but that love which sacrifices principle is never trustwor
thy, and a union bound by false compromises must fall with every disturbance
of conflicting interests or degenerate into a despotism."
Since retiring from the position of Governor, which
he filled to almost universal acceptance — doing many
acts, the influence of which will be felt by the people
of the State for many years to come — besides his respon
sible duties as manager of two large monied institutions
in Manchester, he has been one of the most active and
600 THE GREA T REBELLION.
important members of the Board of Managers of the
National Asylums for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers — of
which there are three in the country — devoting to the
discharge of these duties a considerable share of his
entire time — and all without any compensation whatever,
except the consciousness of rendering a service to those
noble, unfortunate men who risked their lives and
sacrificed their health and limbs in the glorious cause
of their country in the war of the rebellion.
GENERAL ANTHONY COLBY.
General Anthony Colby was born at New London,
Merrimack County, New Hampshire, on the 13th of No
vember, 1792, and has always resided there. He was bred
a merchant as well as a farmer. He has been much in
public life, and held all the military commissions from
Ensign to Major General in the New Hampshire Militia.
He was commissioned Ensign of the Second Company
of Light Infantry in the Thirtieth Regiment, Septem
ber 13, 1814, by Governor John Taylor Gilman. He
was subsequently Captain of the same company, and
Major, Lieut. Colonel and Colonel of the Thirtieth
Regiment. He was commissioned Brigadier General
in July, 1835, and promoted to Major General in July,
1837. He was for several years the candidate of the
"Whig party for Governor, previous to 1846, when he
was elected, and held the office one year. In July, 1861,
on the resignation of Joseph C. Abbott, he was appoint
ed by Governor Berry, Adjutant and Inspector General
of the New Hampshire Militia, and resigned in August,
1862. During this time most of the New Hampshire
regiments were raised and put into the field. General
Colby filled every office to which he has been called
with fidelity. He is a genial, public spirited and liberal
gentleman, highly respected throughout the State.
NATT HEAD. 601
GENERAL DANIEL E. COLBY.
General Daniel E. Colby is a son of General Anthony
Colby. He was born at New London in 1816, and has
always had his home there. He graduated at Dartmouth
College, in the class of 1836, and soon after went into
trade in his native town. In 1837 he was appointed
aid-de-camp on the staff of his father, Major General
Colby. He represented his town in the popular branch
of the New Hampshire Legislature, in 1857. He waa
appointed Adjutant General on the resignation of hia
father, August 21, 1863, and resigned March 25, 1864.
GENERAL NATT HEAD.
Adjutant General Natt Head was born in Hooksett,
May 20, 1828. His father, Colonel John Head, who
died in 1836, was a farmer, a heavy lumber dealer and
an esteemed and valued citizen. The son continued the
business of the father, and in connection with a brother,
is still extensively engaged in farming, lumbering and
the manufacture of bricks. He was early successful in
business and soon gained a reputation for enterprise,
integrity and honorable dealing. He took several rail
road contracts, building the line from Suncook to Hook-
sett, and also that from Suncook to Pittsfield. Immedi
ately after the burning of the Military Asylum at
Augusta, Maine, the managers of the institution, by
reason of the sickness of the Deputy Governor, request
ed General Head to proceed at once to Augusta to
arrange for the comfort and protection of the disabled
soldiers who had been so suddenly deprived of a home.
The mission was faithfully accomplished. Subsequently
General Head contracted with the managers and rebuilt
the Asylum. In the financial world he has attained a
high rank. He is a Director of the First National Bank
602 THE ORE AT REBELLION.
and a Trustee of the Merrimack River Savings Bank, of
Manchester, President of the China Savings Bank, of
Suncook, and a Director of the Suncook Valley Rail
road. In civil affairs he exhibits marked executive
talent. He has filled various town offices, and in 1861
and 1862 represented Hooksett in the Legislature. He
was early and prominently identified with Freemasonry
and is a member of Washington Lodge, Mount Horeb
Royal Arch Chapter, Adoniram Council and Trinity
Commandery of Knights Templar, of Manchester. He
is also a member of the Supreme Council, having
received all the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite, including the Thirty-Third, and all the
degrees in the Rite of Memphis to the Ninety-Fourth.
He is connected with the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and was one of the original members of the
Howard Lodge, of Suncook.
As a practical farmer, General Head has always taken
a deep interest in agriculture. He has been a long time
Director of the State Agricultural Society, is now its
President and a life member. In 1869 he was appointed
by the Governor and Council a Trustee of the New
Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic
Arts. From his father, who was many years an officer
in the State Militia, and from his paternal grandfather,
Captain Nathaniel Head, who served meritoriously as an
officer through the Revolutionary^ War, General Head
inherited military taste and spirit. For many years he
was a prominent military musician and was Fife Major
of the "Old Eleventh Regiment" of State Militia in
1847. In later times he was Chief Bugler of the famous
Battalion of Governor's Horse Guards. He has been
connected with various military organizations and is
now a member of the National Lancers, of Boston, and
of the Battalion of Amoskeag Veterans, of Manchester,
of which corps he is commander.
N ATT HEAD. 603
In 1863 he was made Chief of the Governor's Staff,
and in 1864 was appointed by Governor Gilmore Adju
tant, Inspector and Quartermaster General of the State
of New Hampshire. He was called to this position at
a time when the nation was in one of the most impor
tant crises of the great civil war, and when the loyal
people of New Hampshire were straining every nerve
to raise the men called for under the President's procla
mation of the preceding month. On assuming the duties
of the office he found the department very incomplete,
but little matter having been collected relating to the
outfit of the troops and their achievements in the field
although New Hampshire had up to that time sent to
the war twenty-six thousand soldiers. In fact not a
complete set of muster-in rolls of any regiment could
be found in the office. In the face of these obstacles
and discouragements and with no appropriation to draw
from, General Head at once entered upon the duties of
his position, employing upon his own responsibility,
three clerks, and procuring the necessary outfit of the
office, trusting in the Legislature to reimburse him,
which it not only promptly and cheerfully did, but made
all additional appropriations for the department that
were asked for. During the remainder of the war no
State in the Union had a more faithful, efficient and
popular Adjutant General than New Hampshire. The
clerical duties of the office were performed in an admi
rable manner and the method by which the records of
our soldiers were persistently hunted up and placed on
file and the order and system exhibited in carrying on
and preserving the extensive and valuable corres
pondence of the department, were worthy of the highest
praise. Many letters are now preserved in the office
from the highest military and civil officers of New
Hampshire, from the Adjutant Generals of various States
and from the War and other departments at Washing-
604 THE GREAT REBELLION.
ton, all testifying to the excellence of the gystem inaugu
rated and to the highly efficient manner in which the
affairs of the office were conducted. The Eeports of the
department during the administration of General Head,
not only give the name and history of every officer and
soldier who entered the service from New Hampshire
but they contain biographical sketches of all the field
officers from the State who were killed in battle or who
died from disease during the war, together with a briei
history of all the regiments, giving their principal move
ments from their departure to their return home. These
reports further include the Military History of New
Hampshire from 1623 to 1861, the records of which
period were collected with great perseverance and under
many discouragements, from various sources in this and
other States, and from the rolls in the War Department,
at Washington, thus making the Reports as a whole a
work of the greatest value to the people of the present
day, and at the same time constituting an invaluable
contribution to the military history of the Nation while
its worth to posterity cannot be estimated.
Governor Smith, in his valedictory address to the
Legislature in June, 1867, said :
" In the difficult adjustment of our military affairs you will agree with me
in warm approval of the energy and efficiency of the Adjutant General, whose
work has in all cases been well performed. When it has been my grateful
duty to extend a welcoming hand, in behalf of the people of the State, to our
brave returning soldiers, he has forwarded my purpose with unflagging interest
and zeal. You will not forget that around his department all the memories of
the contest now cluster. The long roll of honor is there. There are gathered
the blood-stained battle flags, and there will always be found those associations
which should inspire us with love of country, and an appreciation of the
services of those who gave their lives and shed their blood for the blessings
which God bestowed when he gave us the victory."
Many soldiers who fought through the war had a most
natural desire to have some certificate or testimonial,
from the state or nation, of their honorable service.
N ATT HEAD. 605
General Head conceived the idea of having engraved on
steel, of a suitable size to frame, a handsome memorial
. certificate, with beautiful and appropriate devices, to be
presented to every surviving officer and soldier from the
State who did honorable service in the war of the rebel
lion, and to the widow or nearest relative of those who
sacrificed their lives in the great struggle for the life of
the nation — to be elegantly filled up with the name,
rank, regiment arid company in which they served, and
the nature and length of service. He was heartily
seconded by Governor Smyth, the work of engraving
and printing was soon most admirably done, and notice
given to all interested that the certificates were ready
for delivery to such as were entitled to receive them.
Thus an act of justice was done to our noble, brave
men ; and most gratefully do the -living soldiers, and the
the surviving relatives of the lamented dead, appreciate
and treasure them. A single letter, acknowledging the
receipt of one of these certificates, will convey an idea
of the sentiment of thousands of similar ones sent to
General Head :
" Burrageville, Mass., July 22, 1867.
GENERAL NATT HEAD :
Dear Sir : — I gratefully acknowledge the receipt of the Soldier's Certificate
sent by your order. You cannot imagine how sacredly it will be cherished as
a token — from the State of New Hampshire — of respect to my dear soldier boy,
who sleeps with the thousands in the Arlington Cemetery, Georgetown, that
'* sleep that knows no waking." May the Lord reward the excellent Governor
Smyth for his kindness to the soldier. I thank you, sir, and through you the
State, which has furnished the beautiful memorial. The soldier, or officer,
whose life is spared to receive this gift, will read it with pleasure, and look over
the pictures, so significant, with interest. But how many will receive it and
gaze upon it with eyes dimmed by tears, as it will remind them of dear ones
that are left behind. To such the certificate will have a tender interest, and
be preserved among the treasures, more precious than gold. The Sixth Regi
ment of New Hampshire Volunteers, to which my son belonged, lost many of
its " boys," and to many a sorrowful household your gift will be received and
appreciated with thankfulness and tender interest.
Gratefully and tenderly yours,
ABBIE G. JAQUITH."
606 THE GREAT REBELLION.
What makes these testimonials doubly valuable is the
fact that none can obtain them until they show their
claim by an honorable and undoubted record during the
war. Other New England States soon imitated the
example set by New Hampshire, and the good State of
Massachusetts is now having one engraved, and all
copied more or less from General Head's design.
All the New England States were fortunate in having
able, efficient, capable and patriotic Adjutant Generals
during the War, all of whom compiled and published
reports highly credible to their several departments;
but it is not going too far to say that none exceeded, if
they equaled, the Adjutant General of New Hampshire
in all these desirable qualities, or who did their States
better service, and greater honor. None, certainly, could
be more devoted to the men on the way to the field,
while there, or on their return home after the cruel war
was over. Many a soldier will remember with gratitude
his fatherly care of them on their return to the State,
and his assistance with good counsel and needed means
in saving them from the hands of sharpers,' always in
waiting to take advantage of the necessities of soldiers
to get possession of their valuable papers, for a merely
nominal sum. He assisted all who needed assistance,
from his own private means, and strange to say, and to
the glory of the New Hampshire soldiers should it be
recorded, he never lost a dollar by this generosity and
confidence.
As a citizen, General Head occupies a high and popu
lar position by reason of his genial and courteous manners
and his large public spirit, while his constant and un
wearied devotion to the " Boys in Blue " secured for
him their highest respect and esteem and won for him
the enduring title of " The Soldiers' Friend."
JOHN G. FOSTER. 607
GENERAL JOHN G. FOSTER.
General John G. Foster was born at Whitefield, Coos
County, New Hampshire, on the 27th of May, 1828.
When ten years old he removed to Nashua, where he
attended the public schools. He also attended the Bap
tist High School at Hancock, New Hampshire, and sub
sequently fitted for entering into West Point Military
Academy, at Crosby's High School, Nashua. At the
request of Hon. Charles G. Atherton, then a represen
tative in Congress from New Hampshire, and Franklin
Pierce, then United States Senator, in 1842, he was ap
pointed cadet at West Point, and entered in June of that
year. He graduated at that institution, ranking number
four in the class, in 1846, with Generals McClellan,
Reno, Couch, Seymour, Sturgis, Stoneman, Oakes and
Gordon, of the Union army, and Jackson and Wilcox,
of the rebel army. He was in the Mexican war, and
in 1847 was brevetted first lieutenant, "for gallant and
meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and
Cherubusco." At the storming of El Molino del Rey
he fell severely wounded. For his gallantry here he
was brevetted captain. In 1854 he was appointed
Assistant Professor of Engineering at West Point. He
was second in command at Fort Sumter when it was first
fired upon by the rebels, from Charleston, in April,
1861, and for the heroism he displayed on this occasion
he was promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteers.
General Foster accompanied General Burnside's ex
pedition into North Carolina, bore a conspicuous part
in the battle at Eoanoke Island, the capture of New-
bern, and received the unconditional surrender of all
the batteries, all the defenses, and all the troops — over
two thousand — upon the island, in February, 1862.
In July he was left in command of the department
608 THE GREAT REBELLION.
of North Carolina, with a force barely sufficient to hold
the positions 'left him by General Burnside, who had
been ordered with the main part of his force, to Fortress
Monroe. Late in the autumn he was considerably re-
enforced by new regiments from Massachusetts, when
he resolved to assume the offensive. He led an expe
dition from Washington through Williamston to Ham
ilton, on the Roanoke, where he expected to find and
destroy some iron-clads in process of construction ; but
there were none. The result of the expedition was the
liberation of several hundred slaves. In April, 1863,
the rebel General Hill made an attack on "Washington,
E". 0., and was handsomely defeated by General Foster.
In October he succeeded General Burnside in East Ten
nessee. All through the war General Foster occupied
responsible positions, and was regarded as one of the
most accomplished, brave and prudent officers in the
army.
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